A Note on Being a ‘Cool Brand’
A Note on Being a ‘Cool Brand’
I love retail, products, and design. I’ve always been drawn to marketing, spending hours flipping through magazines studying how each brand chose imagery, colors, and campaigns to express themselves and draw the customer into their world.
There’s a lot that goes into a brand in today’s busy marketplace. Our look, feel, and presentation need to be clear, engaging, and define who we are to our customers.
Some brands have had decades of solid sales and strong reputations, while others have gone on a rollercoaster of being “in” and “out.” A few are able to revive themselves with a fresh new look or product launch.
Lately, brands are showing up using viral videos, collaborations that sell out immediately, cross-promotion, and deep discounts. There are influencer events that look incredibly expensive and exclusive, gifts arriving and being unboxed on camera, and social media moments that add to all the buzz to drive sales.
It’s easy to get swept up in this. As the founder of a brand, I think we all suffer from comparing ourselves to others and wondering if we should or could be doing things more like they are.
Logistically, being a “cool” brand can often involve a budget we simply don’t have—a budget from investors, a rapid growth plan, and margins and prices that allow for mass gifting in hopes of a tag and share. In fine jewelry, that’s not really possible.
As a small business with a single owner and a healthy, sustainable plan for growth, we would be reckless to gift thousands of dollars of jewelry in hopes someone finds us cool.
We can’t throw huge parties, take people on trips, or do huge “drops” of product at steep discounts (well, we could, but we would be deeply in debt, and I wouldn’t be sleeping at night).
We seek out the women we work with—influencers, authors, entrepreneurs—because we know they care about meaningful things, marking milestones, and have stories to tell.
Still, sometimes I find myself thinking, “Wow, that is so COOL. Would that brand ever work with us? Could we pull that off? Are we at that level? Are we big enough? Are we cool enough?”
But, I have a bold statement to make. When I really think deeply about it, I don’t want to be a “cool brand.”
I want to be lots of things before “cool.”
I want Yearly to be a brand that you (and your mom and your daughter) can trust to deliver something beautiful, meaningful, and well-made. I want our jewelry to be timeless, classic, and not something you’ll toss in the back of a drawer in a few seasons because it’s trendy and not “cool” anymore. I want our employees in customer service, at our store, and at pop-ups to be kind, good listeners, and to care deeply about providing a great experience and a quality product you’ll love for a lifetime.
The truth is, we aren’t here to make you cool; in fact, you’re the one that makes us cool.
It’s your stories that are told through our work. Your stack layered and worn with intention, passion, and pride. Your anniversaries, big birthdays, milestones, promotions, celebrations, and journeys that you or your loved ones choose to honor and mark with something special that will last for a lifetime. THAT is cool.
Anytime I feel that pang of jealousy about a sell-out collaboration or a beautiful event with branded products and all the Instagram buzz, I remind myself that the woman I hope finds and buys our pieces is not easily impressed by flashy events and “branding.” She’s thoughtful; she cares about things that last. When she comes across Yearly from a dear friend or sees a woman sharing our brand, she’ll know that we are not here to be a flash in the pan.
And frankly, she’s too cool to care about being “cool.”
I regularly share my outfits, bargain finds and investments on my Instagram. Follow along here if you’d like to see more! And never hesitate to DM me with a question or if you’re on the hunt for something, the only thing I love more than shopping for myself is shopping for someone else!
+My latest finds here.
+What to give those who have had a hard year.
+My holiday gift guides
