Dang, you smell good.

We recognized that new Rihanna scent you're wearing, but amazingly, you don't smell like teen spirit.

It's not just the power of RiRi - the celebrity perfume industry has seen a big comeback, and it's leaving many of those tacky, sickly-sweet scents back in yester-decade. But the next generation of celeb-obsessed, nice-smelling people aren't just after higher-quality fragrances - they want to own extensions of their idols and, in a sense, be part of their story.

In today's newsletter:

• Celeb fragrances are back—but something’s changed

• The 5 stages of attention (& how to build your brand in each one)

• Trend plug - How it feels to stop myself

• Ask the Editor - What content should I make for a “boring” service-based business?

-Devin, Copywriter

Celeb Fragrances Are Back—But Something’s Changed

Are celeb perfumes making a comeback? Why yes, yes they are.

Am I mad about it? Absolutely not.

As a tween there was literally NO better feeling than opening my birthday gifts and realising I had hit the absolute jackpot with a new bottle of Reb’l Fleur by Rihanna.

Smelling like my idol (albeit the cheap version) was always a win in my books.

Fragrance was a booming market in the mid-to-late 2000s, as movie and pop stars recognised the potential of associating their name with a scent.

And using their face on the packaging and in promotional campaigns was quite a lucrative branding exercise.

These perfumes were sold at low price, building a sense of identification among as many young fans as possible.

Of course, this market became oversaturated. The bottles got dustier.

And, suddenly, celebrity perfumes felt not so couture after all.

Somewhere along the way, the craze fizzled out.

It was replaced by a wave of niche, artisanal perfumes with “clean” ingredients and near-impossible-to-pronounce names.

And yet, here we are, witnessing an undeniable comeback. In the US, celebrity fragrance sales amounted to $148.5 million in the 12 months to August 2023, up 30% according to Vogue.

And that number continues to rise as everyone from Rihanna to Ariana Grande to Billie Eilish is launching their own scent. And Gen Z is buying it up like it’s 2004 all over again.

However, this time is different.

[Keep reading]

-Sophie, Writer

Building a business can often feel like navigating an endless maze.

It’s hard to know which path will lead to growth and success.

That’s why I developed the 5 Stages of Attention framework.

It's an actionable roadmap to help you understand where you are in the process of building your brand, how to progress, and why it’s okay if you’re not at the finish line yet.

At its core, this framework is about meeting you where you are and helping you maximise the opportunities at your stage.

Whether you’re just starting out or already running a profitable business, each stage offers ways you can move forward.

Read on to find out which stage you’re in…

Stage 1: Friends, family, and referrals

This is where your journey begins.

At Stage 1, your audience is primarily made up of your personal network—friends, family, and close acquaintances. Most of your business comes through referrals from people you know.

This is a critical time to focus on building strong relationships and delivering value that generates word-of-mouth support.

It can feel limited, but it’s an important foundation.

What to focus on in Stage 1:

If you’re here, focus on leveraging your network while ensuring the experiences you create for your early clients are exceptional. These relationships are your stepping stone to bigger opportunities.

[Keep reading]

-Stanley, CEO

Trend Plug - How it Feels to Stop Myself

Ever had to summon every ounce of self-control you possess to stop yourself from doing something?

Well, today's trend is your chance to shine.

This meme trend starts with an image of Cillian Murphy as Scarecrow in Batman: The Dark Knight in a straightjacket (because that's how it feels to hold ourselves back, right?).

Creators are pairing this with a line from Lana Del Rey’s song, "Ride," that goes, "I’m tired of feeling like I’m f***ing crazy.”

So far, we've seen this trend with OST describing situations like, "how it feels to stop myself from being mean" or how it feels to say no to a sweet treat.

How to jump on this trend:

Start with this image of Cillian Murphy as Scarecrow, then add this trending sound. Use OST to explain a time you could barely hold yourself back from doing something. Easy!

A few ideas to get you started:

• How it feels to stop myself from going out for lunch, even though I brought food from home

• How it feels to stop myself from ending every Teams message with "haha" because I'm a millennial

• How it feels to stop myself from yelling "I TOLD YOU SO!" when my client finally admits my strategy was right

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

Ask the Editor

Q - I’m a marketing manager for a mortgage company. What kind of video content should I be making? - Brandon

Hi Brandon!

There are so many ways you can create content around a service like this. One of the easiest content styles you can use is just answering FAQs you get. You can create a list of questions clients ask. You can ask ChatGPT to help you come up with a list of questions people might want to ask about getting a loan. Or you can find others in your industry who already have a following and see what people ask them in the comments.

Once you have a list of questions you can answer, record your team answering them. At the end of each video, ask the audience to put more questions for you to answer in the comments. If you really want to be cheeky, you can even create video replies to questions in the comments of other creators in your industry!

You can always branch out and try other content styles over time. But this is an easily repeatable, low production content style that lets you show off your expertise.

I'd also check out the advice from our founder, Stanley, about starting on a new platform. He explains the importance of creating a good strategy rather than just creating content for the sake of it.

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

For the group chat

😂Yap’s funniest home videos: OH NOO
❤How wholesome: i love maya
😊Soooo satisfying: WHERE CAN I FIND THIS TYPE SLIME
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Cozy night soup

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