21 years, 2,000+ solutions, $250M+ value generated
83% CAC drop. 10x CLV lift.
Trusted by leaders from Tata, Calm, Apple, 360 ONE, Moda Operandi, Tony Robbins, Jeremy Coller, Sachin Tendulkar.
Featured by COGX, Anthem, Apple.
Crafting a Sensory Brand:
How Aesop Built Loyalty Through Story, Science, and Experience
Crafting a Sensory Brand: How Aesop Built Loyalty Through Story, Science, and Experience
Aesop is a luxury skincare brand that offers skin, hair and body care formulations created with meticulous attention to detail, and with efficacy and sensory pleasure in mind.
Aesop is a luxury skincare brand that offers skin, hair and body care formulations created with meticulous attention to detail, and with efficacy and sensory pleasure in mind.
INDUSTRY
Luxury and Wellness
ROLE
Branding
YEAR
2008
WEBSITE
The problems
1.
We consulted Aesop at the beginning of their journey of becoming a cult brand. At that time, the marketing budget was small and we collectively felt that if we made the product and in store experience unique enough, people would talk about it.
2.
We wanted to make early adopters feel like ‘discoverers’, people who had stumbled across a brand who not only sorted out their skin/hair but also spoke to the core of who they felt they were.
Our solution
1
We recommended focusing strongly on product narrative in store, hiring good looking staff is a no-brainer but focusing deeply on knowledge, the chemistry, botany and design behind each product.
1
We recommended focusing strongly on product narrative in store, hiring good looking staff is a no-brainer but focusing deeply on knowledge, the chemistry, botany and design behind each product.
1
We recommended focusing strongly on product narrative in store, hiring good looking staff is a no-brainer but focusing deeply on knowledge, the chemistry, botany and design behind each product.
1
We recommended focusing strongly on product narrative in store, hiring good looking staff is a no-brainer but focusing deeply on knowledge, the chemistry, botany and design behind each product.
2
We had a CRM system that tracked what customers bought and we gave samples according to ‘scent families’ or ‘perceived areas of need (skincare or haircare').
2
We had a CRM system that tracked what customers bought and we gave samples according to ‘scent families’ or ‘perceived areas of need (skincare or haircare').
2
We had a CRM system that tracked what customers bought and we gave samples according to ‘scent families’ or ‘perceived areas of need (skincare or haircare').
2
We had a CRM system that tracked what customers bought and we gave samples according to ‘scent families’ or ‘perceived areas of need (skincare or haircare').
3
On digital, we recommended that we spoke in great depth about the design philosophy, rather that each product itself, to differentiate us from other brands in the segment.
3
On digital, we recommended that we spoke in great depth about the design philosophy, rather that each product itself, to differentiate us from other brands in the segment.
3
On digital, we recommended that we spoke in great depth about the design philosophy, rather that each product itself, to differentiate us from other brands in the segment.
3
On digital, we recommended that we spoke in great depth about the design philosophy, rather that each product itself, to differentiate us from other brands in the segment.
4
We also decided to speak about other things that mattered to our TG, who appreciated the finer things in life. We wanted to be associated with more than a product, more than a lifestyle – we wanted for Aesop to be a piece of art that delights in the home, the handbag and lifestyle venues.
4
We also decided to speak about other things that mattered to our TG, who appreciated the finer things in life. We wanted to be associated with more than a product, more than a lifestyle – we wanted for Aesop to be a piece of art that delights in the home, the handbag and lifestyle venues.
4
We also decided to speak about other things that mattered to our TG, who appreciated the finer things in life. We wanted to be associated with more than a product, more than a lifestyle – we wanted for Aesop to be a piece of art that delights in the home, the handbag and lifestyle venues.
4
We also decided to speak about other things that mattered to our TG, who appreciated the finer things in life. We wanted to be associated with more than a product, more than a lifestyle – we wanted for Aesop to be a piece of art that delights in the home, the handbag and lifestyle venues.
5
Our narrative became about literature, travel and art. We wanted to keep the brand exclusive and not inundate users with constant images. A carefully curated newsletter every quarter allowed our customers to keep in touch with the brand.
5
Our narrative became about literature, travel and art. We wanted to keep the brand exclusive and not inundate users with constant images. A carefully curated newsletter every quarter allowed our customers to keep in touch with the brand.
5
Our narrative became about literature, travel and art. We wanted to keep the brand exclusive and not inundate users with constant images. A carefully curated newsletter every quarter allowed our customers to keep in touch with the brand.
5
Our narrative became about literature, travel and art. We wanted to keep the brand exclusive and not inundate users with constant images. A carefully curated newsletter every quarter allowed our customers to keep in touch with the brand.
6
We created easy to ‘pin’ images, we designed stores that encouraged photography with the mobile. A mobile-first strategy where labels were designed for close-range mobile photography. We reached out to a lot of lifestyle influencers and got them to incorporate an Aesop product into their photographs of whatever they blogged about.
6
We created easy to ‘pin’ images, we designed stores that encouraged photography with the mobile. A mobile-first strategy where labels were designed for close-range mobile photography. We reached out to a lot of lifestyle influencers and got them to incorporate an Aesop product into their photographs of whatever they blogged about.
6
We created easy to ‘pin’ images, we designed stores that encouraged photography with the mobile. A mobile-first strategy where labels were designed for close-range mobile photography. We reached out to a lot of lifestyle influencers and got them to incorporate an Aesop product into their photographs of whatever they blogged about.
6
We created easy to ‘pin’ images, we designed stores that encouraged photography with the mobile. A mobile-first strategy where labels were designed for close-range mobile photography. We reached out to a lot of lifestyle influencers and got them to incorporate an Aesop product into their photographs of whatever they blogged about.
Business impact
Aesop is the most celebrated luxury skincare brand in the world today. No advertising.
Aesop is the most celebrated luxury skincare brand in the world today. No advertising.
80%+
Product Margins
Product Margins
0
Advertising Expenditures
Advertising Expenditures
2-3x
Pricing Power
Pricing Power
$1,000+
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
While expanding Aesop, one of the reasons the brand was so successful was getting the right partner when the business needed it.
In 2008 our partnership with Ritu David was very important to us. One of the things I was focused on as a CEO was how to stretch our current resources as far as they can go, and getting the right partner was key for that.
As a CEO you don’t realise sometimes how restricted your thinking becomes. Ritu came in with what was then called Red Teaming and is now called Design Thinking. We worked on our brand proposition, goal and visual assets. We decided our love for literature needed to be part of our brand experience.
While expanding Aesop, one of the reasons the brand was so successful was getting the right partner when the business needed it.
In 2008 our partnership with Ritu David was very important to us. One of the things I was focused on as a CEO was how to stretch our current resources as far as they can go, and getting the right partner was key for that.
As a CEO you don’t realise sometimes how restricted your thinking becomes. Ritu came in with what was then called Red Teaming and is now called Design Thinking. We worked on our brand proposition, goal and visual assets. We decided our love for literature needed to be part of our brand experience.
While expanding Aesop, one of the reasons the brand was so successful was getting the right partner when the business needed it.
In 2008 our partnership with Ritu David was very important to us. One of the things I was focused on as a CEO was how to stretch our current resources as far as they can go, and getting the right partner was key for that.
As a CEO you don’t realise sometimes how restricted your thinking becomes. Ritu came in with what was then called Red Teaming and is now called Design Thinking. We worked on our brand proposition, goal and visual assets. We decided our love for literature needed to be part of our brand experience.
Michael O’Keeffe
CEO, Aesop
While expanding Aesop, one of the reasons the brand was so successful was getting the right partner when the business needed it.
In 2008 our partnership with Ritu David was very important to us. One of the things I was focused on as a CEO was how to stretch our current resources as far as they can go, and getting the right partner was key for that.
As a CEO you don’t realise sometimes how restricted your thinking becomes. Ritu came in with what was then called Red Teaming and is now called Design Thinking. We worked on our brand proposition, goal and visual assets. We decided our love for literature needed to be part of our brand experience.
Michael O’Keeffe
CEO, Aesop
While expanding Aesop, one of the reasons the brand was so successful was getting the right partner when the business needed it.
In 2008 our partnership with Ritu David was very important to us. One of the things I was focused on as a CEO was how to stretch our current resources as far as they can go, and getting the right partner was key for that.
As a CEO you don’t realise sometimes how restricted your thinking becomes. Ritu came in with what was then called Red Teaming and is now called Design Thinking. We worked on our brand proposition, goal and visual assets. We decided our love for literature needed to be part of our brand experience.
Michael O’Keeffe
CEO, Aesop
Transforming brands and human behaviour through strategy, creativity, tech, data and AI.
Transforming brands and human behaviour through strategy, creativity, tech, data and AI.
Transforming brands and human behaviour through strategy, creativity, tech, data and AI.
Transforming brands and human behaviour through strategy, creativity, tech, data and AI.
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