Earlier last year, EQ traced Byredo’s breakthrough in the crowded market of luxury fragrance and spoke with founder Ben Gorham about connecting with young consumers. Focusing on broader themes, the two articles discuss larger market trends, consumer mentality, brand packaging and equity. This iteration of EQ Classroom continues to explore how Byredo stands out, honing in on specific branding and marketing strategies that define its distinctive venture. 

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Rethinking Luxury –– Authentic Connection through Human-Centred Product Design 

When Byredo founder Ben Gorham set out to make his first perfume, all he wanted to do was reminisce about his childhood. Close to two decades later, the brand has entered global markets, notching sales in the hundred-millions. The brand’s success lies in its emphasis on authenticity and connection, operating via an integrated brand model centred on these two principles. 

In every step of its product development, Byredo keeps it down to earth and close to heart. Scents are curated in laboratories to evoke collective memories and emotions –– whether it’s a soft touch by a loved one, the warmth of fresh laundry, or a quiet night in a childhood treehouse –– Byredo offers a moment of human connection instead of detached extravagance. The packaging that bottles these scents are equally minimal, centralising the brand’s message. 

By creating a definition of luxury synonymous with self care, Byredo encourages its consumers to integrate their products into everyday life. Becoming part of a daily ritual, the brand’s products attract a loyal consumer base. 

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Unique Positioning –– Mindful Collaborations 

Since breaking into the doors of Barney’s with five scents in 2008, Byredo has maintained its unique positioning. Through a series of mindful collaborations, the brand has cemented its image as vanguard, masterful artisans. 

Just as Gorham mentioned in a 2021 interview, Byredo is an idea that can’t be bottled into just a perfume. With Byproduct™––a series featuring craft-oriented designs in collaboration with reputable names such as Virgil Abloh and Benoit Lalloz, Byredo is able to diversify its portfolio while solidifying and growing its audience base of tastemakers and aesthetes.  

From a scent and light diffuser by the French artist Benoit Lalloz, to eyewear handmade by Japanese artisans, to a partnership with the late Virgil Abloh, Byredo’s cross-marketing cleverly positions the brand as the locus of in-vogue personality and taste. 

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On-Trend Marketing –– Youthful Experimentation 

Byredo’s out-of-the-box thinking manifests not only in its collaborations, but also in its experimental campaigns. Afterall, how could one convey the power of fragrance –– something intangible and invisible –– to an eager audience? 

Behind Byredo’s compelling Instagram page is a roster of raw talent –– star image-makers Alasdair McLellan and Leslie ZhangJia Cheng; pioneering make-up artists Isamaya Ffrench and Valentina Li; trendsetters Odell Beckham Jr. and Arca. Carefully selecting wave-making brand representatives in popular culture, Byredo not only reaches a lateral pool of audience, but also deftly shapes a brand image of boundary-breaking coolness. 

Attentive to youth activism, the brand strays away from the world of glamour and hypersexualised advertising. Byredo always takes a stand in each campaign, advocating for gender-neutral love and inclusive beauty standards. Unwavering in its unorthodox voice and place in social movements, Byredo draws Gen-Z and Millennial consumers who also wish to define rather than be defined. 

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Conclusion 

Gorham once mentioned –– “Take a step back, and things are quite different.” By focusing on its own narrative rather than fitting in with its competitors, Byredo has found its own stride. Through rethinking luxury as self care, unique positioning, and on-trend marketing, it explores innovative ways to extend influence, relevance, and dynamism. Learn how to tune out of the noise and find your brand’s unique ring with us.