The Brand Builders

In a world that is just absolutely saturated with products, how does any brand even get noticed anymore? 

Well, today, we're gonna dive into that question, but we're not just gonna talk about it. We're gonna break down the exact blueprint one company used to conquer the crowd.

We've all been here. You walk into a store for something simple, maybe some shampoo, and you are just hit with this. The wall of sameness. It's an ocean of choice that honestly feels less like freedom and more like a total chore.

When the shelves are already this packed and you've got legacy brands with these massive budgets, how does a new face in the crowd even stand a chance of getting noticed? This challenge, it actually has a name, the wall of sameness. Overcoming it, well, that requires a completely different way of thinking. 

But the company we're looking at today did the exact opposite. They chose to whisper, but they made sure that that whisper was heard loud and clear by a very specific and very receptive group of people. Their solution was something they called the gateway strategy. And this approach would completely transform their business. They started out as an OEM, an original equipment manufacturer.  

They were making products for other companies to just slap their labels on. But they made this radical decision to stop writing for others and to start building their own portfolio of distinct, unique brands. It all began back in 2013 when they acquired a manufacturer. Just two years later, they launched their first two hyper-targeted brands. And by 2019, the transformation was totally complete. They were 100% branded business with four distinct brands under their belt.

First up, we've got Good Virtues Co. Just the name alone, right? It immediately sets a certain tone, and it communicates a really clear set of values before you even touch the product. And their target consumer? Incredibly specific. 

They weren't just aiming for Muslim women in general. They were speaking directly to modern, futuristic Muslim women who wanted halal-certified products, but also craved that international, stylish feel. This was a massive unmet need in the market. And then, there's this. 

Bad Lab. The name alone tells you we have jumped into a completely different universe. What's it stand for? The Brave and Daring Laboratory. So who's this for? Think of the adventurous guy, the Red Bull and extreme sports fan. Their big insight was that most male grooming products kind of felt like they were designed from a female perspective. Bad Lab was created to be unapologetically, for men, by men, with this really cool, unconventional edge. And this slide just says it all, doesn't it? On the left, you've got the bright, floral, gentle world of Good Virtues Co. On the right, the dark, edgy aesthetic of Bad Lab. I mean, they couldn't be more different, but they come from the exact same company, born from the exact same strategy. Don't try to be for everyone. Be everything to someone. 

Next up in the portfolio is brand number three, Summerie. And again, a totally distinct look and feel. The name itself just evokes the sense of lightness and nature, doesn't it? Summerie speaks directly to a generation of young women who are environmentally conscious and are basically digital natives. They want natural, organic ingredients, and they really want brands that reflect their own value of self-expression, which is summed up perfectly by the motto, My Way, My Say. And finally, we have Machine. Now, this is their second entry into male grooming, but believe me, it targets a completely different man than the Bad Lab guy. 

Machine is for the trendsetter. He's influenced by global culture, things like K-pop, and he's all over social media. The crucial thing here is he sees grooming not as a chore, but as a playground, a way to express himself. He's the confident go-getter. So, okay, four brands, four completely distinct worlds, but creating them wasn't magic. It was a very methodical process. 

At the very heart of their process is this, the brand pyramid. Just think of it as the soul of the brand, all laid out on a single page. Everything is built from the ground up, starting with a deep consumer insight right at the base. From there, they layer on the brand's role, its personality, its benefits, both rational and emotional, and it all leads to one single clear promise at the very top. 

So a great strategy, a solid blueprint, but did it work? Well, for seven consecutive years, from 2017 all the way to 2023, Good Virtues Co. won the Best Exclusive Brand Award from Watson's. That is pure dominance in their niche. 

And this success wasn't a one-off. The recognition started coming in across the entire portfolio. Bad Lab was winning grooming awards. The company won for marketing and for design. Machine and Summerie locked down major retailer partnerships. It was comprehensive proof that the strategy worked time and time again.

-Peter Charles Smerling