Filter By Molly Mae, Chamberlain Coffee, and Alive By Whitney Simmons.
Three examples of influencer-owned brands.
Like many of our favourite celebrities, including Blake Lively and George Clooney, an increasing number of influencers are branching out and starting their own businesses.
And REFY is arguably one of the hottest on the market right now.
Co-founded by model and influencer Jess Hunt and entrepreneur Jenna Meek, REFY has stolen the show within no time. Renowned for its high-quality products and sleek packaging, REFY has become a cult favourite around the world.
Whilst REFY’s innovative products are hard to resist, something that continues to catch our eye is their clever marketing strategy.
From multi-platform marketing to creating imaginative experiences, there’s SO much we can learn from REFY’s marketing strategy.
Before we jump in, let’s go back to the beginning.
Where did REFY come from?
REFY’s creative director and co-founder, Jess Hunt, found success as a model and social media influencer after posting pictures of her everyday style on Instagram.
Prior to launching REFY, Jess released a series of collaborations with brands like Oh Polly and EGO and has since grown her Instagram to over 1.8 million followers.
Known for her bushy brows and natural complexion, Jess was often asked by fans how to recreate her look. From here an idea was born and she partnered with experienced entrepreneur Jenna Meek.
Now CEO and co-founder of REFY, Jenna launched her first business SHRINE from her bedroom in Manchester and quickly became an international phenomenon. SHRINE is home to the world’s first multi-use, semi-permanent hair dye drops and within 2 years of launching held residencies at festivals like Coachella and Under the Stars.
Jess and Jenna noticed a gap in the market for eyebrow products that streamlined someone’s routine but still got the look of full, laminated brows. Together they launched REFY in November 2020 with the Brow Sculpt, Pomade, and Pencil.
Combining Jess’s style, personal brand, and knowledge of growing an online presence with Jenna’s experience of building a business led to a brand that blew up!
Within 3 weeks of launching multinational beauty retailer Sephora approached the brand wanting to stock REFY in their stores. And, just 6 weeks after REFY’s initial product drop the brand completely sold out and had a restock waitlist with over 100,000 sign-ups.
In 2023, REFY hit new heights with a revenue of £24.2 million. Now REFY is stocked in Sephora in the United States, Selfridges in the United Kingdom, and ships worldwide.
Now we know more about REFY’s origin and continued success, let’s discover the secrets to the brand’s marketing strategy.
They solve audience problems
From a cream bronzer that’s blendable to a mascara that lengthens lashes, REFY solves problems for their customers by creating products they want and need.
With thousands of beauty products on the market, it can be overwhelming to find the right product for you and the look you want to create.
In creating REFY, the co-founders wanted to make the products that their community was looking for. REFY develops products with unique formulas that are vegan, cruelty-free, and suitable for all skin types and tones. And, REFY are constantly on the lookout for ways they can listen to and give back to their community.
REFY is designed to create simple, high-quality products that help their community have an effortless routine – so they can have more time to get on with their day and do what they love.
The perfect example? REFY’s lip blush.
In an interview with Bustle, co-founder Jess revealed she ‘happens to have pale lips’ and had previously considered lip blushing – a semi-permanent tattoo in a natural colour on the lips.
Knowing that others must feel the same way and may not want such a permanent solution, she created a product that solved the problem. REFY’s Lip Blush was released in 2023, it went viral and has become a staple for many.
When a brand, like REFY, pays attention to and tries to solve audience problems they’re more likely to generate loyal brand advocates and ambassadors.
In fact, in a survey by Ruder Finn, 93% of consumers want brands to show their listening with 57% actively engaging with brands on social media or through direct outreach.
They’re present on multiple platforms (and aren’t afraid to grow)
According to DataReportal, the average person uses 6.7 different social networks per month.
For brands operating in today’s digital age, a presence on multiple platforms and networks is one of the best ways to increase reach and visibility.
Instagram is REFY’s primary platform having garnered over 650,000 followers since 2020.
There’s no doubt that this was a strategic decision for the brand, as it’s where their co-founder (and biggest ambassador) Jess grew her following and captured audience attention.
On Instagram, creating an aesthetic or theme is key as it can showcase a brand’s personality and help establish a cohesive, recognisable identity.
REFY prides itself on only creating essential products that make the lives of their community easier. Their Instagram aesthetic and content reflect this as it’s minimalist, to the point, and offers guidance on how to use REFY’s products.
Like founder of rhode Hailey Bieber, REFY’s co-founder Jess is active when it comes to posting about the products she uses and how they’re a part of her routine.
By showcasing REFY, Jess increases brand exposure and creates a greater sense of authenticity as an audience can see her using and advocating for the brand she created. To take this one step further, Jess can be seen regularly on REFY’s social media modelling for new products, campaigns, and sharing tutorials.
Whilst Instagram has aided REFY’s growth and success, the brand isn’t afraid to adapt to the ever-changing digital landscape and recognise that TikTok offers huge potential.
By now we’ve all witnessed the power TikTok can have for businesses big and small. In fact, 15% of product discoveries begin on TikTok.
REFY aren’t afraid to repurpose their content and we’re not surprised, it’s a great tactic to help scale your content strategy and manage your time as a busy marketer.
However, REFY do use TikTok as a place to give their followers a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work at the company and jump on trends. By doing so REFY ensures the brand feels fresh, relatable, and appeals to their largely female young audience.
On both Instagram and TikTok, REFY strives to educate their audience. Whether it’s an in-depth product tutorial or a customer review, REFY wants to help their audience have the best experience possible.
They leverage user-generated content (UGC)
If you haven’t already incorporated UGC into your marketing strategy, it could be worth thinking about.
It’s a popular marketing tactic that’s valuable in impacting purchasing decisions, building brand loyalty and community.
REFY leverages UGC to increase their discoverability and spark conversation.
They give products to micro, mid, and macro influencers to encourage UGC across social media platforms. Working on a gifted basis means REFY relies solely on the quality of their products to generate UGC. This tactic has worked with the majority of REFY’s latest product launches going viral on social media.
For example, when REFY launched their game-changing Lip Sculpt they sent the product to a variety of influencers and ambassadors. It claimed to be designed for smudge-proof, long-lasting wear and REFY wasn’t afraid for those who received the product to put it to the test – the results were impressive and it went viral.
And there’s no harm in celebrity endorsement! Previously, REFY’s Brow Sculpt has been praised by Bella Hadid whilst Sofia Richie adores the Lip Gloss.
They create experiences
We’re seeing more and more online-based brands bring their vision to life with pop-up shops and experiences.
Vieve, a direct competitor of REFY created by makeup artist and influencer Jamie Genevieve, announced their first pop-up in Glasgow in 2021.
As soon as its doors opened fans flocked to the store where they were able to buy exclusive merchandise, try out Vieve’s products, and have the chance to meet the brand’s founder. Vieve has gone on to host multiple pop-ups in Glasgow and London, following the success of the first.
REFY jumped on the pop-up bandwagon launching their first in London in 2021.
For a long time REFY has referred to itself as more than a beauty brand wanting to bring their community into a lifestyle and they’ve brought this vision to life.
In 2023, REFY switched things up and launched ‘REFY The Studio’. Located in Soho, London the space was home to yoga, pilates, and healing classes and guests were treated to a goodie bag and iced drink.
During Fashion Week 2024, the brand expanded into lifestyle with their pop-up ‘The Exhibition’ giving customers the chance to see, buy, and live the REFY lifestyle.
By creating these unique experiences, REFY enhances their ability to build and maintain strong relationships with their customers by giving back to them. For a customer, a pop-up is exciting and better understands a brand’s mission and vision.
REFY have been one to watch in the beauty and marketing space in recent years and we don’t think that’s going to change any time soon!
