4 Lessons from Molly Mae Hague's clothing line launch

Molly Mae Hague isn’t just an influencer, she’s a marketing genius.

Since the bombshell entered the Love Island villa in 2019, she’s had the Midas touch.

Her talent in influencing others is almost unmatched.

If she posts in a green leather Zara jacket, it goes viral, with 32.2 million views on the hashtag #mollymaejacket. Not to mention the countless dupes made by other stores trying to buy in on the hype.

If she vlogs about going to The Hollies Farm Shop, a deli in Cheshire, Google searches for the spot increase by 416%.

When she posts her engagement video with 'The Vow’ by Anne Ruth, the song surges to #2 on the UK charts – 5 years after its release.

This happens so often, her uncanny ability to influence others has been deemed the 'Molly Mae Effect.'

And now, she’s implemented it into her own business, yielding instant and impressive results.

On September 9th, Mae posted a snippet announcing the launch of her new clothing brand, Maebe. The video featured nothing more than some black and white shots, camera clicks, and a close up of her. And it garnered 18 million views across Instagram and TikTok that same day.

A week later, and the @maebestore page has 775,000 followers, despite only having six very vague posts about the brand.

The interest in the new brand goes to show, Molly Mae exceeds the title of a macro-influencer. She’s an über-influencer, with an incredible talent for marketing herself. And now, it's a talent she's going to use to build a clothing brand (because, why wouldn't you?).

Thankfully, we don’t need a crazy level of influence to build a successful brand. In fact, her tactics are surprisingly simple. And, done right, they’re hyper-effective.

Let’s break down 3 strategies Molly Mae used (and talk about how you can use them for your brand, too).

What’s in a name?

When it comes to Maebe, this Shakespearean soliloquy resonates.

As marketers, we should never underestimate the power of a brand name that encapsulates what we’re aiming for.

The name Maebe sets a tone – it’s simple, it’s personal, using her middle name with a clever twist. It's modern and it’s elegant – all major pillars of the Molly Mae personal brand.

The name aligns with who she is as a founder and the defining features that her followers love about her. So, of course, that followership is going to translate through to her brand instantly.

When deciding this crucial part of your business, don’t just choose a name for your brand. Choose a name that speaks to your values, your mission, and your audiences’ aspirations. Your name is your first touchpoint with your audience. Make sure it evokes a positive response.

Make ‘em wait.

Time after time, the power of exclusivity and anticipation in marketing proves to be a powerful strategy. By offering an early sign-up option, Molly Mae has done more than just build hype. She’s ensured her first collection has guaranteed interest, before it even launches.

We all want what we can’t have--it’s human nature. A waitlist taps into that insight by creating scarcity and generating demand. It also supplies crucial early data on how many people are interested in your product. And, before a launch, this is invaluable information to have.

On top of all that, a waitlist creates a VIP experience for your audience. It makes them feel like insiders in a secret club, which means they’ll be more likely to stick around.

Leverage yourself.

One of the most important assets you can have as a founder, is you.

People connect with people, not faceless brands.

Obviously, Molly Mae has always had a really strong personal brand and wields a lot of influence in the social media sphere. She’s relatable and authentic. Her community trusts her, which is why Maebe will likely thrive.

But you don’t need hundreds of thousands of followers to do the same. Crafting your personal brand alongside your brand can be just as effective, as long as you showcase how the two align.

Molly Mae’s brand feels like an extension of who she is, meaning her followers are highly likely to buy in to it. In a world of endless choices, people want to know who they’re buying from. This is why authenticity is key.

Keep your cards close.

When it comes to content surrounding the launch of her brand, Molly Mae’s minimalist approach is a stand-out strategy. Again, we want what we can’t have. And feeding us little snippets of what we want only ever makes us hungrier.

The sleek, black-and-white visuals, paired with simple messages on the socials, are just enough to create intrigue. She didn’t over-explain or give too much away – she let the visuals speak for themselves.

Often, we get so excited about our launches we want to spam the content and get it out as soon as possible. But slowly generating curiosity only adds to the hype.

When you give your audience a taste without the full meal, they’re left wanting more. Maebe played this perfectly, offering a glimpse into the process but holding back the full reveal until launch day. It’s the classic 'show, don’t tell' approach, and it works because it leaves room for imagination.

It’s so easy to eye-roll and say the success of this launch (or pre-launch) is because of Molly Mae’s power as an influencer. And I think creators often cop the same reaction when starting their own brands. However, when you pull back the curtain there are some really clever, and easily replicated strategies here.

Maebe, you can put them to good use 😉

-Sophie, Writer