The future of travel retail is definitely something we’re excited about, and we’re going to keep listening to our community and expanding our brand’s reach across with opportunities for innovation in the space.
PM: I want to go back to the incubator part of your business. I know each deal is different, but are there some common threads in the deals that you do?
JA: We look for brands that add value to the market while filling a need, and each deal is unique in its own way. However, there are some common threads that we typically look for in our deals.
First and foremost, we place a strong emphasis on talent involvement. We believe that having talent involved in the brand not only maintains the authenticity of our brand but also allows for stronger storytelling. We also believe that talent should own the brand, including its intellectual property and trademarks, so our incubator structure is not a traditional licensing model.
We take care of all brand operations including manufacturing to allow talent to focus on their other commitments within the brand. By providing this support, we enable our partners to fully realize their creative vision and bring unique products to market that resonate with our target audience.
PM: So what have your success stories here been to date?
JA: Yes, we’ve had several successes and continue to learn and grow. Some of these include launching Mirrored Image fragrance that sold out only four hours after launch, establishing successful partnerships with various retail partners such as Walmart and Urban Outfitters, being nominated for a FiFi award, and bringing on new talent partnerships to incubate beauty for some of the largest talent management agencies.
Additionally, we are proud of the overall growth and evolution of Slate Brands. We have seen increasing recognition and engagement from our target audience, as well as a growing reputation for innovation and quality in the marketplace and most importantly creating products that have been very well received and acclaimed for adding value to our consumers.
PM: What is interesting here is that you provide an e-commerce platform for your own and the jv brands. How does this work and is there something about the site that makes it different from other similar platforms?
JA: SlateLand is an e-commerce platform for beauty products from emerging talent-led brands, in-house brands, and legacy fragrances. We curate a selection of high-quality, unique, and exclusive products for customers to easily shop and discover their own personal beauty and style.
We actually have some exciting news regarding our e-commerce platform. Starting at the end of May, we’ll be merging SlateLand with the SlateBrands website. This change makes a more efficient and simplified customer experience while our business structure and will allow us to focus even more on our brands’ success, which is always our number one priority.
PM: I think what is pivotal to your success is how engaged you are with your customer base. Tell us more.
JA: We use our proprietary data to create brands that are truly valuable and resonate with our community. By listening to our customers’ needs and preferences, we are able to develop products and experiences that meet their expectations and exceed their satisfaction.
For our talent-led brands, we put a lot of trust in the talent to make many of the brand-related decisions. After all, they know their audience best. Our goal is to create brands that can stand on their own and align with the talent’s personal brand, while also producing products that will do well with their audience. By doing so, we can ensure that the brand stays authentic and maintains the trust between the talent and their audience.
PM: Finally, Judah, if there was one thing you wanted to say to the travel retail audience, what would it be?
JA: My advice would be to seek out brands that truly add value and prioritize understanding data and listening to your customers.
We have several exciting projects in the works that we believe will bring great value to the travel retail industry, so keep an eye out for those in the coming months.