Everybody has heard the saying "less is more." Perhaps you even live by KISS, which stands for "keep it simple stupid". But how does this minimalistic philosophy translate to retail? It's essential for any company that is one of the most successful and up-and-coming brands.
Investors and consumers are falling in love every indie brand. Allbirds shoes and UNTUCKit shirts as well as Prose haircare - these brands promise low flash, great quality, and strong values.
Brandless, an e-tailer, is taking this idea to the next stage. Their line includes over 300 products and counting. They are able to sell them for $3 per pop because they have cut what they call the "brand tax." Logos don't appear on labels, but only the attributes of each product.
The company is still seeing a disconnect between the customer experience online and in-person, even though it has made great strides. A pop-up New York in LA is a great way to increase awareness and improve understanding.
Awe-inspiring Experience
Recently, I decided to try the NY pop up. Brandless was an affordable e-commerce company that targets younger, more budget-conscious customers.
When I walked into the popup, I was shocked and delighted to discover that my preconceptions of Brandless were not entirely correct. This is not an e-commerce company that offers cheap deals. It's a transparent, sustainable, values-driven, quality-promising retailer. Their story is much more than meets the eye.
The pop-up featured a sign promoting a social media philanthropy initiative. Post a photo to Instagram with #brandlesslife hashtag and the company will deliver free meals to anyone in need. (I also learned that they do this for every purchase).
We were encouraged to try out different products and give feedback throughout the space. The signs indicated what was and what wasn't in each product. Sales staff also spoke about the brand’s commitment to quality sourcing. The pop-up highlighted a variety of powerful themes, including kindness, quality sustainability, transparency, and philanthropy. These all work together to create a compelling and authentic message.
Both the successes and the mistakes
Here's the problem: Not a lot of what they do in digital marketing translate into this. Their main selling point is their $3 prices. It's basically an e-commerce dollar shop. Their web page is lacking mentions of quality and kindness. Instagram ads are more focused on great prices. Brandless was a store that focuses on philanthropy. I did not know this until I went into the store. It's too bad because the CEO of Brandless says that customers shop according to what they value. This includes organic, non-GMO and cruelty-free products (all things Brandless focuses on).
The strategy will fail if the brand's heart is not reflected in the marketing or is poorly presented. This is a problem for many retailers. The key to finding a solution is understanding who your audience is.
Brandless's initiatives are not failing to meet expectations. Other companies, especially mass merchandisers with their own private labels, should also take note of the success of the pop-up at the brick-and mortar level by e-tailers. Generic displays don't necessarily have to be low-cost. The opposite should be true.
Brandless's quality and philanthropic philosophies were highlighted throughout the shop by clear, informative signage. To emphasize e-commerce's ease of delivery, Brandless had a wall of greenery to show sustainability. A wall also featured a list of ingredients that do not meet their standards for beauty products. It is all about expressing the essence of the brand in new and exciting ways.
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Two brands, one story
Some mass merchandisers and large retailers have embraced the private label market because of consumer preference for minimalist brands. Target's Smartly essentials range is a great example. Each product comes with a stylish label that boasts high-quality potencies and fragrances.
It is clever and mirrors (and competes with) many Brandless products. It is however, flawed in many aspects.
Brandless offers the quality and value , plus the added philanthropy. Sustainability, consumer awareness, and philanthropy - do I need to go on? Brandless is the brand that consumers want - the thing everyone's always talking about. Target and other companies are trying to provide more value to consumers, so brands like Brandless that are impact-focused and values-driven will be more prominent.
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