There are luxury brands, and then there’s Byredo; equal parts perfume house, cultural moodboard, and digital-era tastemaker.
Founded in Stockholm in 2006 by Ben Gorham, Byredo built a reputation not just for beautifully crafted scents, but for how it tells stories, curates aesthetics, and cultivates influence in the digital space. It doesn’t rely on traditional marketing tropes. Instead, it whispers its presence into the right circles; and lets the scent linger.
For small and medium-sized creative businesses looking to grow with intention and originality, Byredo is a case study in emotional storytelling, brand restraint, and subtle influence. Let’s see what makes their digital marketing efforts so compelling – and what your brand can borrow from their playbook.
1. They Built a Brand Universe, Not Just a Product Line
Byredo isn’t just selling fragrance. They’re selling a feeling: nostalgia, intimacy, and memory, wrapped in modernity. Their digital presence (from Instagram posts to product pages) feels like stepping into an art book, not a sales funnel.
While many brands focus on conversion-first design, Byredo chooses atmosphere. Their website features poetic descriptions, ambient photography, and product names that could double as short stories (hi, “Gypsy Water” and “Mixed Emotions”).
Lesson: Stop selling. Start inviting.
Create an immersive brand world (through copy, imagery, and tone) that your audience wants to get lost in. Don’t just show them what you make. Show them how it feels.
2. Subtle, Selective Influencer Marketing Pays Off
Unlike many brands that go broad with influencer outreach, Byredo is extremely curated in its collaborations. You won’t see them in #sponsored posts with mass-market influencers. Instead, you’ll find them featured (organically or semi-organically) in the routines of stylists, creatives, and low-key tastemakers.
From artist collaborations (like with photographer Harley Weir) to stylists and editors quietly showcasing their products on Instagram, Byredo plays the long game; prioritising influence over visibility.
Lesson: Choose collaborators who match your energy.
Don’t focus on follower counts. Instead, work with people who understand your aesthetic and share your values. Influence is more than reach; it’s relevance.
3. Their Social Media Isn’t “Social,” It’s Editorial
Byredo’s Instagram isn’t filled with trending sounds, memes, or product teasers. It’s closer to a digital art journal, mixing product images with sculptures, obscure references, artist features, and still lifes.
There’s little direct selling. No “buy now,” no hard CTAs. And yet, their presence is magnetic, precisely because it feels thoughtful and self-assured.
Lesson: Use your platforms as a lens, not a billboard.
People come to social media to feel something. If your brand feels like a pushy salesperson in their feed, they’ll scroll past. If you feel like a curator, a storyteller, or a creative partner, they’ll stay.
4. Collaboration as Cultural Capital
Byredo has mastered the art of collaboration; not just to hype a product, but to position itself at the intersection of culture, design, and beauty. Think:
- Byredo x IKEA (accessible luxury meets home design)
- Byredo x Travis Scott (bridging niche fragrance with pop culture)
- Byredo x Susanne Kaufmann (beauty meets wellness)
These aren’t just products; they’re conversations, and they allow Byredo to enter new spaces without diluting its identity.
Lesson: Collaborate for culture, not clout.
Partner with brands, people, or institutions that expand your narrative, not just your audience. The right collaboration doesn’t just add attention, it adds depth.
5. They Let the Product Speak (and Breathe)
One of Byredo’s best moves? They trust their audience’s intelligence.
Instead of using loud, SEO-stuffed product pages, they opt for minimal, poetic descriptions. For example, the copy for “Mojave Ghost” reads more like a tone poem than a marketing pitch. Their email newsletters are equally restrained; often spotlighting a single image, a mood, or a quote.
Lesson: Don’t over-explain.*
Luxury (and trust) often lives in what you don’t say. If your audience already understands the context (or wants to discover it) give them space to do so. Your content should be a door, not a lecture.
6. Experiential Thinking, Even Digitally
Byredo thinks like a gallery. Their online launches feel like virtual installations, consider the launch of their makeup line: designed by Isamaya Ffrench, it came with editorial-level visuals, bold concepts, and product that looked like sculpture.
Even their online store has a cinematic rhythm; slow-loading visuals, immersive scroll, full-bleed imagery. It doesn’t rush you. It seduces you.
Lesson: Design for experience, not just efficiency.
Even digital content can feel tactile. Treat your audience like visitors, not just users. Make every scroll feel like a page-turn.
7. They Speak Emotionally, Not Algorithmically
Byredo’s tone of voice is human, poetic, and distinctly anti-salesy. Their product names, marketing copy, and even press releases evoke emotion, memory, and mood. No jargon. No trend-jumping. Just deeply considered words that make you feel something.
In a landscape full of brands screaming for attention, Byredo speaks softly, and draws people in.
Lesson: Talk like a person, not a marketer.
Skip the buzzwords. Speak from your creative core. Emotion drives connection far more than “calls to action.”
Final Thoughts: Presence Without Noise
Byredo shows us that you don’t have to be loud to be heard, or everywhere to be remembered.
Through restrained visuals, smart collaborations, and emotionally resonant storytelling, they’ve built a brand that thrives quietly but powerfully in the digital age. For creative businesses navigating their own growth, Byredo’s success is a reminder that the best marketing isn’t about reach; it’s about resonance.
Want to build a brand that feels like Byredo; refined, culturally aware, and quietly unforgettable?
Let’s talk: Book a strategy consultation with IMPACTICO.
Leave a comment