GHD As A Brand

I’ve been promoting GHD hair straighteners for about 3 years now and whilst doing some research earlier today I’ve realised just how successful the parent company, Jemella, has been at creating and promoting GHD as a consumer brand.

My research led me here – what a great name for a marketing agency! Propaganda and Jemella have worked together since 2002 and have a common link in Julian Kynaston, who is chairman of the former and also marketing director of the latter. Such is the strength of the GHD brand that sales have increased dramatically from £500,000 in 2001 to £46 million in 2004 and a projection of some £90 million for 2005/06. Phenomenal growth in such a short period.

I personally feel that there are at least three factors at work here. Firstly, the original GHD was a far superior product to any other hair straightening iron available (though by no means the cheapest) and secondly an aspirational brand has been carefully developed and nurtured. When any of my wife’s friends mentions hair straighteners, GHD is the only brand that gets mentioned – it’s like a must-have product and I rather suspect the relatively high purchase price gains peer approval too! Finally, in my opinion, the salon-only availability created brand exclusivity…you can’t just get the Argos catalogue out and buy a pair…this helps to create the must-have demand from consumers.