The best marketing is free, according to some of New York's most innovative entrepreneurs.
Lauren Bergeri, co-founder and CEO of trending wellness brand Higher Dose, says it's all about “word of mouth…and what people tell their friends.”
Here, she shares how she and others avoided spending millions on traditional online, print, and TV advertising in favor of natural promotion from loyal customers and celebrities.
In doing so, the business became sustainable and successful. Please take a look.
higher dose
These days, Higher Dose is known for its at-home wellness technology, including its popular red light face mask and sauna blanket.
But when the company was founded in 2016, it was the in-person spas and saunas located across the city that became popular thanks to social media. (The pandemic has shifted the focus to home devices.)
“We joke that we didn't need to do any marketing because everyone comes in and takes sexy sauna selfies,” Bergeri told NY Next. [we] It just went viral… [fans just knew that they felt amazing afterwards and it wiped away all their sin from the night before.”
Handily, some of the sauna’s early adopters were big names with large followings.
“We had Bella Hadid [post a picture] “We put Katy Perry on a plane wearing a red light face mask to show she was getting ready with us before the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.”Berlin Jeri added. “And to be honest, the list goes on when it comes to celebrities. When it comes to our investor deck, this is always my favorite slide. We've never paid these celebrities, but they Everyone supports us and loves us.”
In hindsight, the fact that Berlingeri and co-founder Katie Cupps didn't have a lot of money to spend on marketing early on helped them build a following instead of trying to gain one. I think it may have been a good thing because it was necessary. .
“We didn't have the money to pay a lot of money to celebrities to promote our products. In some ways, this is a blessing because we've built a cult-like following that really loves the brand,” she said. spoke.
Catch the hospitality
In 2007, Eugene Rehm opened Catch, a club-style seafood restaurant in the then-burgeoning Meatpacking District. After that, it became a popular spot.
There are now eight Catch restaurants across the country, and Rem's Catch Hospitality Group just opened a new concept Corner Store in Soho.
It became an instant hit, attracting celebrities like Taylor Swift, Jason Kelce, and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Lem attributes this success, at least in part, to eschewing traditional marketing.
“Just because you have to market something means it's not good,” he told NY Next. “I think it starts with authenticity. Steve Jobs always said marketing is stupid.
Rehm said when he tries to make a restaurant's food or experience go viral, he always fails.
Instead, he focuses on making the food, space, and customer experience as perfect as possible and inviting friends to come.
“Our marketing is just about getting the people we know and love to enjoy our product, and they'll do the rest of the work,” he said.
Fleur du Mal
This luxury lingerie and apparel brand has many fans including Beyoncé, Kendall Jenner, and Anne Hathaway. This is also because top stylists recommend this brand to their clients.
The company was founded in 2012 and early on sent fashion stylists some of its signature sexy pieces.
But it didn't really pay off until 2017, when actress Sienna Miller showed up at a Golden Globe Awards afterparty wearing a platinum slip dress.
“There was a photo of her attending the premiere…and it was just the most iconic photo, and it really resonated with people…put us on the map,” CEO Jennifer Zuccarini said in NY He told Next.
“We don't pay anyone to wear anything,” she added. “So it’s all natural in a way and through relationships.”
Zuccarini admits the challenge is making sure the product doesn't get lost in the noise. But ultimately, it's not about spending a certain amount of money on marketing, it's about creating something people like and want to wear.
“We're lucky just to have a natural following, but it's something you have to cultivate,” she added. “Work Needed” – You may need to create or submit new work at the last minute.
Foundry
Fine jewelry company Foundrae has paid for several billboards since launching in 2015, but company founder Beth Hutchens says it's about her unique core products, each with its own strengths and They believe it is a personalized charm infused with symbols such as love. I'm talking.
People who buy products are often the best marketing, telling friends and strangers how much they love a brand.
Hutchens believes the beauty of pieces worn by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Kaia Gerber is due to their fans.
“The collection grew from my heart, and each piece is imbued with authentic soul,” Hutchens said. “It's about authenticity.”
This article is part of a new editorial series called NYNext, which focuses on innovation across various industries in New York City and the people leading the way.
