It is one of the classes where I learn the most every semester, a class on the business of brand storytelling. The reason? One of the questions amongst our global group of grad students is to tell me three brands they follow and why. RARELY does any company come up more than once…the outliers this year were Beyond Meat, Oura, and Liquid Death…and always there are brands which frankly, this old man had never heard of…yet. Just for background, my class this semester is 20 graduate students with varying backgrounds from all over the globe. They are of course watching traditional brands, leagues and teams…but this is a consortium of their unique watches in their own words. I always like to look back on this list and see where they end up. Previous years? Tom’s Shoes, HOKA, RHONE, Mr. Beast, RING, ANTA, Swet Tailor and many others we know today. Here is a list of 19…take note, I will. Thanks to our students for their insight on this.
741. Jaylen Brown recently launched the brand 741 to innovate and challenge the traditional sports apparel market, offering an alternative to major corporations. To strengthen its narrative, 741 should leverage Jaylen’s personal experiences and approach to creativity and independence. By hosting events and campaigns focused on storytelling, 741 can build a supportive community that resonates with its core values. Collaborations with athletes and influencers can amplify its message, inspiring others to embrace creativity and self-expression.
Ade Dehye. Pronounced ah-day duh-shay, the fashion brand was created by a Yale grad with the mission of “ethically and sustainably creating clothes inspired and hand-crafted by the African diaspora.” The textiles are sourced from around Africa and the garments are made in Ghana under ethical working conditions. While the brand has seen some success, such as Steph Curry wearing an Ade Dehye over-shirt for one of his tunnel walks in the 2022 Finals, it has not reached anything close to mainstream traction. I believe that given the founder’s background, the importance of the brand’s mission and the quality of its designs, Ade Dehye could become a well-known brand. To reach that goal, I think that bringing the brand closer to traditional fashion standards by putting together a catalog and a show during a major fashion week would be a great way to help spread brand awareness.
Athletic Brewing Company specializes in high-quality non-alcoholic beers. The brand has quickly risen to popularity, tapping into the culture and trend of mindful drinking. Health-conscious consumers and those looking to reduce alcohol consumption without sacrificing the experience of drinking a great beer love Athletic Brewing Company. What sets Athletic apart from other Non-Alcoholic beers is that the brewery is specialized so they offer unique and flavorful brews that are appealing to all types of beer drinkers. To jump on their rise in popularity, I would suggest Athletic Brewing Company builds a narrative to emphasize their craftmanship. They can do this by producing behind the scenes content, sharing stories and videos showcasing the brewing process and highlighting the care and creativity that goes into each beer. Additionally, they can spotlight and feature each of the brewers and their expertise, this would resonate with consumers who appreciate the craftmanship.
Barebells is a protein bar company that I discovered through a runner I follow on social media. I saw her post a video saying how much she loved them, and because I trust her opinion I went and bought some. I actually really like them, but it is hard to find them in stores. If they continue to promote their products, with the use of an athlete for example, they could have the potential to sell their products in more stores.
Beis Travel. With travel increasing in recent years, Beis has the opportunity to delve into more market segments. Beis is known to be affordable, functional, and stylish. To better build its story, I would recommend marketing to college students with college-specific designs, which can lead to user-generated content when the students use their new school-spirited luggage to move into their dorms, go on spring break, and move out after they graduate.
Boxraw. Founded by Ben Amanna, Boxraw captures the essence of the boxing lifestyle beyond the ring. With its authentic connection to the boxing community, Boxraw focuses on the everyday experiences of boxers, appealing to both amateurs and professionals. To enhance its brand story, Boxraw should emphasize collaborations with well-known fighters to share their personal stories and training regimens. By doing so, Boxraw can solidify its authenticity and broaden its appeal. Additionally, partnerships with gyms and boxing clubs can further embed Boxraw within the boxing culture, elevating its presence and reach.
Call It by Your Name is poised to become a leader in the lifestyle and fashion space by offering a unique, personalized experience to consumers. This brand focuses on individuality, self-expression, and customization, which resonates deeply with Gen Z and millennial audiences seeking products that reflect their personal identity.
Carhartt originated as a workwear brand, with products bought and used mostly by blue-collar workers due to the high-quality construction and durability of their clothing items. In recent years, workwear has become a fashion aesthetic among those who aren’t blue-collar workers, and Carhartt was able to leverage the trendiness of their products into a new brand that solely focused on streetwear and fashion called Carhartt Work In Progress (WIP). Carhartt WIP embodied the brand’s philosophy of high-quality construction but coupled it with great designs and aesthetics tied to streetwear and skate culture which was a huge departure from their roots. Both Carhartt and WIP have become wildly successful in the past few years, but in this happening many consumers (myself included) have noticed a dropoff in quality of the products which contradicts the Carhartt ethos to begin with. I think if the brand focused more on the craftsmanship of their products like they did before they became extremely popular, they could really get back into favor with consumers and workers alike by going back to basics.
Glossier is a beauty brand that originated from the “Into the Gloss” blog which is a large focus within the Gen Z and millennial consumer segment. By emphasizing minimalism, glossier has been resurging as products of interest within the younger generation. By refining their story around inclusivity, glossier should deepen their narrative by incorporating a more diverse set of users. This would help influence the cultural impact the beauty brand can have while also allowing consumers to see themselves within the product. An additional action Glossier can take is to focus on sustainability. In 2024, sustainability is a growing concern amongst consumers, and people want to ensure they are making safe choices with the products they purchase. Glossier can amplify this by being more transparent about their eco-friendly packages, and launching a refillable initiative to become more environmentally conscious.
Gymshark has swiftly ascended to prominence in the fitness apparel industry, recognized for its strategic use of influencer marketing and community engagement. The brand’s journey from a modest supplement company to a billion-pound valuation showcases its innovative approach. To further build its brand story, Gymshark should deepen its focus on the personal narratives of its ambassadors, highlighting their fitness journeys and transformations.
Kith, founded by Ronnie Fieg, has emerged as a prominent brand by taking a nontraditional approach to storytelling and brand development. Unlike established sportswear giants like Nike and Adidas, Kith has leveraged cultural influence through strategic collaborations, exclusivity, and experiential retail spaces. Fieg built Kith by collaborating with various iconic brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, and Versace. These partnerships were not just about product creation but about weaving a broader cultural narrative, often with elements beyond Kith’s direct control. Kith capitalized on the hype culture surrounding streetwear by creating limited-edition drops and fostering a sense of scarcity and exclusivity. This strategy, coupled with community-driven demand, enhanced the brand’s desirability. Location as a Cultural Asset for Kith became more than just retail space. It served as a cultural hub that fused lifestyle, food (Kith Treats), and fashion. This experiential element added depth to Kith’s brand story, creating a place where fans could physically interact with the brand.
Instead of traditional endorsements, Kith benefited from organic associations with high-profile celebrities as well as earned media, enhancing its authenticity and cultural capital. Kith’s approach to storytelling and brand development has resulted in significant financial success and cultural relevance. The brand’s agility in collaborations and maintaining cultural freshness has ensured continued consumer loyalty and buzz.
Liquid Death, a canned water company is up and coming because of their distinctive branding, playing into, in my opinion, the heavy metal vibe. It also apparently appeals to beer drinkers, because of the similarity of the can, giving them that same feel and image. Liquid Death is also a distinct brand, allowing them to sell merchandise.
Nvidia, a leader in esports technology, has a special chance to tell an engaging story about how its GPUs are enabling the next wave of professional gaming. Nvidia can reaffirm its position as the foundation of the esports sector by providing concrete instances of how its state-of-the-art technology facilitates immersive gaming experiences, faster processing speeds, and real-time analytics. Nvidia’s standing as a pioneer in high-performance technology is strengthened by this emphasis on performance, which is similar to the requirements of conventional sports. Additionally, by demonstrating the increases in energy efficiency of its GPUs, Nvidia can position itself as a leader in sustainability within the IT industry. Nvidia can attract both environmentally conscious consumers and tech innovators by creating a story around sustainability and demonstrating that eco-friendliness and high-performance technology can coexist peacefully. In the quickly changing field of sports technology, Nvidia can further establish itself as a forward-thinking company by showcasing success stories from both traditional sports and esports.
On Running Its products, especially the running shoes, have a technical design and low-profile logo, which gave me a high-end, professional feeling at first impression. I was surprised that it had a strong momentum in Asia Pacific. By the end of 2023, 22 direct stores had opened in China in five years, and there were only 32 retail stores globally. Also, I have observed that On’s brand story emphasizes a sense of identity, characterized by a niche, novelty, innovation, technology, environmental consciousness and celebrity endorsement, The backing of its founders, who are renowned athletes, along with Federer’s role as an investor and brand ambassador, has set a solid foundation for On’s brand image. In the future, it could further integrate elements of nature, highlighting its Swiss origins and the fusion of technology with the natural world. This narrative can tell the journey from the Alps to urban streets, blending the outdoors with the city lifestyle around the world. Additionally, it can align with On’s commitment to sustainability and environmental consciousness.
Poppi is a health-focused beverage that specializes in sparkling prebiotic sodas made from apple cider vinegar. Poppi has done an excellent job of building the narrative that it is a healthy and trendy alternative to traditional sugary sodas. I think this brand has done an amazing job of building its narrative especially with their target demographic of female consumers. For example, in my opinion you would be hard pressed to find 20-30 year old girls walking around New York City with a can of coke in their hand. It simply just does not fit their narrative, but you do see girls in NYC walking around with Poppi. This is because they have done an excellent job building their narrative and growing their community. I think to continue this narrative Poppi should try and capitalize on their virality by partnering with Gen Z influencers who their target market listens to and believes in.
Riyadh Air Saudi Investment Fund’s flagship project to make Saudi Arabia the next Dubai/ Singapore from a Tourism and Middle East investment destination and to connect the world.
How can they achieve success – Focus on their key commitments.
1. Will offer best in class Luxury and Comfort
2. Will be world leader in Sustainable solutions.
3. Will offer the best customer service.
The Saudis have opened their minds and pockets to the opportunity a connected world provides. They now can use the next decade till 2034 Football World Cup which they will host to push their narrative as an inclusive community with a world-class product.
Rough Trade Records. The record store started in London in 1976 and has multiple UK locations, one German location and one U.S. location. The NYC store is in an iconic building, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, and seems to have strong industry connections, consistently holding performances and signings with top artists like Charli xcx, Lorde, etc. Given the big revival of interest in vinyl records and the increasing importance of physical media in the transience of a digital world, Rough Trade should be looking to expand into other major U.S. cities like L.A. and Chicago.
Super Monkey is an emerging fitness brand in China that differentiates itself from traditional gyms by eliminating the conventional membership model. Instead, it adopts a low-cost, pay-per-session, no-barrier, self-service strategy, creating a vibrant fitness community in first-tier cities. Its value proposition aims to provide professional guidance, high-quality courses, and an exceptional offline fitness experience. In the future, Super Monkey could further integrate innovative and trendy fitness practices into its branding, such as introducing foreign cutting-edge fitness concepts or urban sports from abroad. This approach would cater to its target audience – young, health-conscious individuals living in major cities.
Vouri is a personal favorite of mine, I love their clothing, specifically their shorts. They are an athletic brand competing with the likes of Lululemon and in my opinion are much more comfortable. Vouri also has a great YouTube presence, including wellness techniques like meditation.
