Back in 2018, The Pink Stuff was a relatively unknown cleaning product for a niche market, produced for a few hours each month by Star Brands in a factory near Birmingham, England.
That changed when Sophie Hinchliffe The Essex, UK-based cleanliness-conscious hairdresser has started sharing her home cleaning routine on her Instagram account @mrshinchhome. Eventually, a surge in demand led to The Pink Stuff being sold in her 30,000 retail stores around the world. new york times report.
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Hinchliffe's practical and friendly cleaning advice featuring all things pink struck a chord with her Instagram audience. Her 4.8 million followers are now watching grime disappear under the guidance of her friendly 'chief cleaner'. And while Hinchliffe never made the jump to TikTok, Star Brands says Pink Stuff-related videos have actually been viewed more than 2 billion times.
@myaa.nic Realistic Bathroom Clean ASMR #DoritosTriangleTryout #realisticcleaning #cleaningtiktok #cleantok #floorscrub #thepinkstuff #thepinkstuffcleaning #fullbathroomclean #realisticcleanwithme #showerclub #cleaningasmr #spongesqueezingasmr #scrubbingasmr ♬Original song – Myaa.nic
Customers were eagerly awaiting restocks, so Star Brands quickly had to significantly increase production. Operations expanded to the point where he had three lines running all day, his workforce doubled, and international sales were pushed to new heights. Currently, The Pink Stuff is sold in 55 countries and at major retailers such as Walmart, Home Depot, and Amazon, priced at $4.99, and has annual sales, according to The New York Times. has quadrupled from 2018 to approximately $125 million.
Pink Stuff joins an ever-growing list of products that have become popular on social media for their ability to provide “life hacks” to their viewers. There are also many products that most people didn't even know they needed, such as tabletop vacuum cleaners and cars. It is said that there were audience members on stage, including a trash can and a stainless steel watermelon slicer. excellent housekeeping.
However, brands that rely on virality as their sole marketing strategy can find themselves in a tough spot when the novelty wears off and their audience moves on to the next big thing. Henrik Padé, a managing director at Star Brands, admitted to the New York Times that Pink Stuff's viral nature is “a little scary” because the messaging is less controlled.
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Emory University marketing professor Marina Cooley said brands need to focus on loyalty to achieve a more sustainable approach.
“I don't feel like there's an adult in this room directing a cult,” she said of the star brand. “You need someone to work with influencers and retailers to determine communication strategies.”
