Captain Fawcett has an outstanding brand identity. As well as creating award-winning gentleman’s grooming products, the writing, design and social media have a unique narrative flair, combining British humour and heritage with a contemporary take on what it means to be a gentleman in the 21st century.
SO, what’s the secret to creating an iconic brand? Captain Fawcett founder, Richie Finney, spilled the beans…
The journey began, quite literally, with beans! I was using empty baked bean cans (thoroughly washed!) to blend my own Moustache Wax, intended purely for personal use. My wife, Christine Greenwood, an Emmy & BAFTA award-winning hair and make-up artist, took the wax on set. People loved it but I had no sense of any commercial value. I started with 100 jars, little did I know what wonders would follow!
Richie shared his top 10 tips for building a brand that is memorable and iconic.
1: Be authentic
25 years in the Sound Department of the British Film Industry gave me an understanding of immersive experience. If you believe in a world from the inside out, you can be true to it without affectation. When an actor is immersed in their character, even if they’re improvising off script, they say what their character would say. So, by living your brand, you can’t really go wrong.
2: Deliver superb customer service
When people are delighted, they talk about it and your customers become your cheerleaders. Word of mouth recommendations are of huge value.
3: Build a trusted team
Early on, you have complete control but when you expand you need some humility. Find people with skills you don’t have, who really get what you’re doing.
4: Be consistent
Reinforce your brand with repeated images and phrases. Create your own catchphrases, such as ‘Keeping A Stiff Upper Lip Regardless’®. With repetition they’ll become widely recognised. Arguably, that familiarity is when a brand starts to become iconic.
5: Collaborate
Instead of paying influencers, work with colleagues and ambassadors who have a vested interest and genuine belief in your brand. It brings integrity to your relationships and helps extend your customer base.
6: Be philosophical
The stronger your brand identity the more polarising it can be. Some people will be attracted, some repelled. You can’t be all things to all men. To thine own self be true.
7: Blend product branding with aesthetic
Your logo, colour palettes, and tone of voice should be recognisably yours. These might evolve so there’s room for poetic licence! But don’t dilute your core storyline.
8: Utilise social media
Barbers are about the shop, the physical experience. So be what you say you are, and deliver what you promise on social media or you’ll be found out.
Don’t be afraid to share lows as well as highs. Humans buy from other humans. And stick to platforms you can manage, better to show up consistently on one platform than drive yourself crazy creating content for everything. Social media is a tool, not your master.
9: Quality is king
It has to be a top-quality product. Fancy packaging and a terrible product immediately lose trust. Get the product right, then work on beautiful presentation. Share samples with respected experts in your field and earn their genuine endorsement. Again, it’s about conviction and trust.
10: Have fun!
Profit is but a result of your initial and enduring idea. However, it’s never guaranteed, so make sure you enjoy the ride. Money should not be the motivation although, with a combination of hard work, surrounding yourself with excellent people, a pinch of good luck and an element of success, it may well be the consequence.
Final tips?
“Enjoy the journey because fuck knows what the destination is.”
Curious about the legacy of the Captain? Or fancy trying some products? Find out more at captainfawcett.com, the home to a simply delectable range of first-class gentleman’s grooming requisites.
For wholesale enquiries please email sales@captainfawcett.com & mention BarberEvo for 10% off your first order.
