The rise of the social-first start-up is the business story of our time. Whether itâs home goods newcomers like Casper and Parachute, start-up beauty brands like OUAI and Summer Fridays, or emerging fashion companies like Wholesome Goods and Blenders, there is example after example of start-ups flying from bright idea to global success story.
And itâs scaring the big brands. While these emerging brands are small in terms of market share, their impact is mighty. The media attention, share of voice, and sheer momentum is driving the smartest corporate brands to look at what they can learn from these nimble rivals.
Indeed, if youâre a beauty-sector giant, why wouldnât you look closely at what OUAI is doing? Launched in 2016 by celebrity hairstylist and social-media maven Jen Atkin, this little haircare brand has delivered some of the fastest selling SKUs in Sephora, garnered swathes of mentions in the press and earned an impressive eight-figures in sales.
