If this year’s Barbie-mania trend has taught us anything, it is that brand licensing is crucial to the marketing industry. That, and everyone loves a good brand collab.
Established in 1999, Nails.Inc – which now proudly describes itself as the UK’s number one nail brand – is a prime example of what a successful brand licensing strategy can do for a business.
“Nails.Inc has really embraced collaborations in recent years as we’re finding that it’s such a great way to entice and engage new and existing customers”, says founder Thea Green.
Despite sitting firmly in the beauty space, the experimental nature of brand licensing has allowed Nails.Inc to collaborate with big names from different sectors, differentiating itself from the hundreds of other nail brands out there.
Cheesy nails, anyone? You’d be surprised…
Getting weird with Nails.Inc
The secret, Green begins, of creating such iconic brand licensing collaborations lies in actively “seeking out the white space” – areas where other brands have yet to venture.
This, remarkably, is as simple as it sounds. While Nails.Inc prioritises product innovation, it also keeps a watchful eye on what’s currently in vogue across popular culture and what trends are emerging in the market.
There is a temptation, of course, to chase some of these more short-term trends. Nails Inc. has occasionally dabbled in these, such as the recent Netflix ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ nail polish duo and nail stickers, although Green emphasises that true success lies in identifying the genuine gaps in the market and finding what is missing in the category, rather than just riding the wave of what’s currently ‘hot and trending’.
“Some brands we work with may not initially be active in the beauty space. But beauty allows for surprises,” Green explains. “It allows for play in that space. Sometimes it’s just about how weird you can get.”
Take, for example, the unlikely collaboration with Velveeta cheese – it’s fair to say the brand is not typically associated with nail products. However, with a delightfully innovative – and let’s be frank, unarguably unique – cheese-scented element, the products flew off the shelves last year.
It was so successful that despite being initially turned down by retailers, who were understandably sceptical and understandably bemused, Nails.Inc soon found them returning and asking to stock the line after seeing the enthusiastic public response.
Similar collaborations soon emerged with Frootloops, Squishmellow, M&S’ famous Percy Pigs and Magnum – and earlier this year, a partnership with White Claw went one step further with a ‘Claw Saver’ can opener – showcasing the brand’s out-of-the-box thinking.
In Nails.Inc’s world, white space means not only keeping up with the trends but also making its own, identifying what’s missing in the market and delivering it to customers with a strong focus on their needs.
A palette of playful possibilities
Such an approach demands experimentation and innovation – and sometimes, it’s all about pushing the boundaries.
“There is versatility in the beauty industry,” Green explains, “especially in the more experimental nature of nail polish and nail products, that mean we can accommodate a mix of short- and long-term brand licensing collaborations.”
She describes the average beauty consumer as “savvy”, pointing out that they are willing to try new products in a way that is not necessarily seen with fashion.
But the true success of Nails.Inc’s licensing programme lies in the brand’s distinctive approach to product innovation and experimentation, such as spray can bottle packaging, introducing scents to the bottles or precise colour matching, to ensure the final product captures the perfect on-brand colour.
In the world of beauty products, an effective social engagement strategy is crucial, and Green is quick to point out that the unique nature of these brand collaborations makes working with online influencers particularly beneficial for Nails.Inc.
Polishing the future
Looking to the future, Green reflects first on what she has learnt over the last decade of nurturing brand collaborations (the first was a partnership with Victoria Beckham back in 2014).
One crucial lesson is the importance of partnering with brands that share your enthusiasm and vision.
“Work with brands who are as enthusiastic as you to make the collaboration happen. It’s not just a brand licensing cheque”, she states.
Embracing fun and innovation – and occasionally taking those calculated risks – has fuelled Nails.Inc’s growth in recent years, as it extends beyond Europe to international markets.
It is also looking to extend the key brand categories, moving into sectors such as gaming – which Green admits the brand has never done before but is open to the challenge. There are also dream brands that Nails.Inc hopes to work with as well as non-profits that promise more purpose-led campaigns.
“It’s about being surprising and thinking outside the box,” Green concludes. “After that, the sky’s the limit!”
