Unpacking 4 Unique Aspects of Gentle Monster
Creating a brand that manages to stand out in a contested (red ocean) market is no small feat. One brand that comes to mind, which has achieved this through a unique and differentiated strategy across various aspects of its brand, is Gentle Monster, a part of the parent company iicombined. In my opinion, the brand perfectly encapsulates the concept of being remarkable, as coined by Seth Godin in his book “Purple Cow”. As stated in the book (Godin, 2003), to be remarkable entails being “worth talking about, worth noticing, exceptional, new, and interesting.”
Since its inception in 2011, the South Korean eyewear brand founded by Jay Oh and Hankook Kim has stood out due to its uniquely designed glasses and the distinctive experience offered by its stores. The brand gained traction in the South Korean market, particularly with the endorsement of Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun, who wore Gentle Monster glasses in the film “My Love From the Star.” Subsequently, the brand has experienced phenomenal growth, expanding into various markets, notably Asia and the US. Gentle Monster has steadily increased its global presence by opening retail stores in key locations such as New York and Los Angeles in the US, as well as in countries including China, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and the UK. The company’s innovative approach to high-end experiential retailing has garnered worldwide attention, supported by various funding raised from private equity and venture capital. Notably, an investment by LVMH in a private equity-backed deal, reported by Reuters in 2017, amounted to around 60 million dollars.
So, why am I interested in writing about Gentle Monster?
The brand has integrated unique elements from celebrity collaborations, distinctive collections, and innovative retail spaces that create a unique and standout display approach for the brand’s products. I am intrigued by how these combined elements have contributed to the brand’s success. Ultimately, marketing and branding rely on communicating a brand essence that stands out and fosters intrigue. Additionally, the brand holds a personal connection for me, as I had the opportunity to visit two Gentle Monster stores during my 2021 bachelor’s exchange period in Seoul, South Korea. At the time, I had never heard of the brand and stumbled upon their Haus Dosan store in the Gangnam-gu area. The experience was highly memorable, as the combination of product presentation and retail experience was truly unique. Thus, I felt inspired to delve into the brand’s success by utilizing a variety of unique aspects. For this post, I would like to explore four standout factors through a marketing lens that I believe may have contributed to the brand’s success.
4 standout aspects explored:
1. Product design & packaging
For any brand to truly succeed, the embodiment of what the brand stands for must be communicated most effectively through its products. The product is paramount to the company’s success, and Gentle Monster has created various collections of uniquely designed and styled eyewear that resonate with their audience. From the inception of the brand, the designs have been tailored to meet the demands of customers. The large range of designs, inspired by various factors, allows the brand to constantly explore and differentiate their product. The eyewear designs are dynamic, and the brand has seen success in maintaining an ever-changing yet distinctly recognizable Gentle Monster aesthetic. The range and fluidity of designs spanning across various collections help the brand resonate with a larger audience seeking high-end, stylish eyewear.
As with any great luxury product, packaging is a vital means to enhance novelty and further communicate the brand’s personality. A memorable unboxing experience further amplifies the brand’s effective resonance. Gentle Monster has incorporated this strategy within its collections and collaborations. Each collection and collaboration creates a new unboxing experience that enhances the uniqueness of the product. The broad selection of eyewear styles by Gentle Monster has also led to interesting approaches to cases that house the designs. The creativity in unboxing and cases extends the product’s high-end value and appeal. These are crucial factors for any brand that seeks to truly succeed in the luxury industry.
2. Retail space experience
The online experience for many brands is vital, as it expands availability and reaches beyond the capacity constraints of any physical retail store. However, the combination of online and physical presence in today’s age creates the ability for brands to extend their essence to both realms. One of Gentle Monster’s main standout aspects is its differentiated and creative retail spaces. With the incorporation of mechanical and metal moving artwork, video art, and unique varied locations, the experience of visiting their stores is memorable and challenges the status quo of any traditional eyewear store.
Having visited the Haus Dosan store in Gangnam-gu and the Seoul Lotte Tower store, I was impressed by how their stores felt like visiting modern, conceptual, contemporary, avant-garde-esque museums. The manner in which the products were beautifully displayed across the store was unlike any similar product store I had ever visited. The brand has expanded its store presence across various continents, and each store is unique in its own meaning and interpretation of a concept. Hence, visiting a store also enables one to interpret the meaning and story behind it. The uniqueness in experience is a key differentiator, in my opinion, that fosters intrigue and connection with consumers.
An additional aspect that stood out when I visited the Haus Dosan store was the incorporation of a cafe called NUDAKE, which in itself is a rare and uncommon way of presenting artistic desserts. The NUDAKE brand is part of the Gentle Monster company, and as an article by Hypebeast put it, Nudake seeks to deliver “never-before-seen gourmet pastries and treats.” The experience of both brands led to capturing the experience by sharing it on Instagram and through word of mouth. In doing so, the brands create a dynamic and artistic atmosphere that captures customers’ attention and fosters the urge to capture its uniqueness.
3. Celebrity
Consumer brands in the age of social media have increasingly sought collaborations with influencers and creators to endorse and help communicate a brand’s offering. Gentle Monster has cultivated both organic interest in the brand and close collaborations with various prominent figures. Celebrities such as Beyonce, Rihanna, Son Ye Jin, Pharrell Williams, Peggy Gou, Kendrick Lamar, and Dua Lipa have all been pictured wearing the brand’s products. Gentle Monster has also created close partnership campaigns and collections with Tilda Swinton, Jennie Kim, and Son Heung-min. These collaborations are effective in reaching new audiences and garnering awareness of the brand across various markets by tapping into the online followings of these figures. In my opinion, each partnership is well-matched with brand personality and helps increase the brand’s appeal, credibility, and relevance among potential consumers. Achieving an organic following among celebrities is often difficult for brands, however, Gentle Monster’s unique and interesting value proposition has successfully caught the eye of many prominent figures.
4. Collections & Collaborations
Collections and collaborations offer a brand a series of fluid opportunities to alter designs and create unique product offerings. In my opinion, this helps create a sense of specialty and uniqueness that may increase the intention to purchase an item. Gentle Monster has adopted such a strategy by introducing various themed collections throughout the year that are truly differentiated and exclusive. A recent collection called the “Gentle Jelly Collection” particularly stood out to me, as it incorporated a unique aesthetic in aspects of the marketing material, popup store, packaging, and product design. The jelly-inspired aesthetic was creatively communicated and caught the attention of consumers who shared the experience of opening the jelly-like package, revealing the eye-wear with jelly-inspired designs. This collection encapsulates how Gentle Monster sets itself apart and creates a product experience that is non-traditional and unique in the industry.
As mentioned, celebrity interest has been successfully harnessed by Gentle Monster, as well as their partnerships with celebrities in creating collaborations. Campaigns with prominent figures such as Jennie Kim, Tilda Swinton, Diplo, Alexander Wang, and Son Heung-min have resulted in interesting and compelling eyewear designs that translate into physical store exhibition experiences. The brand has also collaborated with various brands such as Moncler, Maison Margiela, Coperni, the video game Overwatch 2, and the tech company Huawei. The breadth of collaborations illustrates the dynamic and unexpectedness of the brand’s approach. In my opinion, a key strength of the brand lies in its collaboration skills with various brands, allowing Gentle Monster to truly break the boundaries of traditional collaborations and increase its relevance, awareness, and unique appeal. In doing so, fans of the brand are constantly exposed to a broad variety of designs, campaigns, and store exhibitions that are engaging and unique.
Overall, Gentle Monster has crafted a modern, contemporary, experimental, and artistic brand essence that is inspiring, in my opinion. The brand has created a truly standout offering that is communicated, packaged, and displayed in a differentiated manner, creating an experience for consumers.
References:
Godin, S. (2003). Purple Cow: Transform your business by being remarkable. https://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BA65087223
Thank you for reading my post. I purely write about intriguing marketing-related topics driven by passion and curiosity to learn.
Gee.Press by Bob van Geemen — Issue 5
