The IT girl Marketing Playbook

In a world flooded with celebrity beauty brands, Rhode stands out not by shouting the loudest, but by whispering with purpose. Founded by model and cultural tastemaker Hailey Bieber, Rhode isn’t just another skincare line it’s a masterclass in modern branding, subtle luxury, and viral finesse. Drops sell out faster than you can say “Glaze me” It has become every IT girl's essential and my Pinterest feed. The brand's success didn’t happen by accident, it was backed by Hailey’s strategic eye, Influence, and understanding of what resonates with Gen Z. 

Rhode’s biggest strength has been pop-up stores. Rhode pop-up stores are designed to be hyper-instagramable, as taking selfies in the Rhode lines has become a trend. “Being in line isn’t boring, it’s part of the brand moment”. They are even provided with Rhode-themed snacks, drinks, or free samples, in the line. It made standing in pop-up lines a social flex, and it was no accident. Rhode reshapes that content into organic marketing. No big ad needed, just a community creating the buzz. The brand has multiple pop-up stores across the globe, providing customers with an immersive, in-person experience. Rhode’s pop-ups are highly limited in time and inventory. People know the products sell out fast online, so the in-person drops feel like a chance to just grab and go.  Hailey sometimes shows up and surprises fans, instantly turning the wait into a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Secondly, Rhode knows how to do collaborations right. They target famous fast food companies with a wide range of customers across the States and some across the globe. Take the Krispy Kreme campaign for instance, they created a peptide lip tint in the same flavour as the famous strawberry glazed doughnut from the fast food brand. Or, the famous “Hailey Bieber’s Strawberry Glazed Skin Smoothie” at Erewhon, which was launched right after Rhode launched. 

They create buzz with new product launches. New items aren’t just dropped, they are designed and positioned to create buzz, excitement and a sense of community. The Peptide Lip Tint launch took things a step forward, by pairing each shade with a food item, and that highly relatable aesthetic got people talking. Or, the Pocket Blushes, which took off right away for its portability and unique shade ranges. 

Finally, personal branding is a key IT girl marketing technique to take note of. Before the launch of the brand itself, Hailey had created hype about her clear skin, by sharing skincare videos on social media. One of her Tik Tok posts, featuring “glazed doughnut skin” took social media by storm. Since then, many young girls wanted to look like her, and Rhode promised them that their product would make their skin like Hailey’s, and they kept their promise. Similarly, before her make-up launch Hailey created the strawberry girl and latte girl trend, which further fueled Rhode's success.  

Whether it's Hailey’s massive social media influence, exciting product launches, or building a strategic partnership with equally influential brands, Rhode knows how to create Instagram trends and profits. 

 

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