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Byredo has become one of Europe’s omnipresent fine fragrance brands - with a cult following and enduring mystique of minimalism and intimacy. I chose to follow the brand for this final project for the ‘Brands in a Digital World’ seminar, however, as I was wondering how a brand like Byredo would adapt their communication and digital strategies during the era of Covid-19. How do you create and market something as subjective and personal as a fine fragrance in a world where all the boutiques are shuttered? How do you convince someone to spend 135 euros on a pandemic-launched fragrance they can’t easily sample themselves - or to buy a new makeup product in a world where everyone’s working from home in their sweatpants, and dance floors are abandoned and collecting dust?

The Swedish-headquartered brand really rose to the occasion, however. Their communication approach is split a few ways - their only forms of social media are Facebook (142k likes) and Instagram (378k followers). They cross-promote the same content, and so here on this blog I’ve focused primarily on archiving their Instagram posts, stories, reels, and live streams. In addition, Byredo is represented by Lucien Pagès Communication, the Parisian agency that represents other cult brands like APC and Lemaire, and consistently helps Byredo’s products reach top influencers and journalists.

Their digital strategies are driven and focused on establishing stark intimacy that defies traditional distances. We can see this in their short but deeply evocative captions; their abstract, creative art direction; their intimate Instagram Q&A’s and IGTV tutorials with Byredo’s makeup creatives; their dedication to the product above all else. In a crowded digital world, they clearly try to use their social media platforms, e-commerce presence, and featured press appearances to build into an ultimately engaging strategy - everything is to add meaning to Byredo’s brand experience and depth to its social community.

Byredo was founded by Ben Gorham in 2006, according to their website, ‘with an ambition to translate memories and emotions into products and experiences.’ You can see this brand mission connect through all their past few months of brand content and product launches, all the way up to their new limited time fragrance OPEN SKY. Rather than create and market a fragrance simply based on one notable place or traditional smell, Gorham and Byredo chose to create a scent dedicated to a feeling - the idea of ‘being on your way somewhere,’ ‘the void that exists between departure and destination.’ And to me, it’s this innovative, abstract perspective on scents and emotions which is what ultimately separates Byredo from every other fine fragrance and beauty brand that’s currently on the market today.

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Press in T: The New York Times Style Magazine for Byredo’s upcoming limited time eau de parfum OPEN SKY. 

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Another example of really interesting art direction from the brand - 3D renderings which really show off the product’s details. 

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“Inspired by the liberation of rave culture and the precision of Japanese craftsmanship.” I continue to admire the poetic & slightly strange wording of their captions.

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Byredo continues to strive to create this aura of digital intimacy between the brand and its consumers - giving the opportunity for their fans to pause & screenshot one of the campaign images for their new scent ��Mixed Emotions’ to use as their own phone’s home screen - or to even just first swipe up & buy the perfume straight from Instagram. 

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Byredo attempts to establish intimacy with their consumers - reposting curated rounds of consumers’ posting showing off Byredo products as their own art objects. 

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While Byredo primarily uses Instagram in terms of their social media presence, they do use every part of Instagram’s platform - including now Reels. 

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Byredo launches a new line of sunglasses, & recruits influencers to market the product - showing off not just the glasses, but its packaging. 

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The social media team continues to pay careful attention to individual posts’ captions, including both a basic description & more detailed fragrance notes. 

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Now, a trio of posts to represent the details, textures, & colors of a recently launched lipstick - posts that feel clearly evocative, artistic, intimate.

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Expressive color-and-light-centric instagram posts for a Byredo perfume launched back in 2012, Black Saffron. 

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Really cool motion design graphics behind a visual in support of ‘Mixed Emotions,’ as posted by Parisian communication agency Lucien Pagès Communication, & Byredo Creative Director Ben Gorham. 

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‘Siren’ campaign, featuring Isamaya Ffrench. 

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Their inventive, radical packaging changes the assumptions of what make-up is ‘supposed’ to look like. Back in 2006 at launch their perfume bottle designs were also fully unexpected in its twist on minimalism. 

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Relying fundamentally on press (in places like VOGUE) & their own Instagram accounts as their central forms of brand promotion.

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They make sure to give advertising energy to other products, even in the midst of launching their main focuses (’Mixed Emotions’ perfume & make-up line).

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“Don’t get dressed without it.” Establishing their scents as a fundamental part of your uniform.