Getting Creative with Marketing a Lifestyle — Not the Product
Executive Summary
Shopify Masters episode in which the host talks with Alyse Borkan, co-founder of Rocco, a maker of mini drinks fridges designed to be displayed like furniture. Alyse, who also helped market Casper, Billie and Our Place, says Rocco started when her co-founder Sam, who worked in supply chain, learned from fridge factories that wine fridges had seen little innovation. They widened it from a wine fridge to an all in one drinks fridge. She says Rocco sells a lifestyle of hosting, wants to put the living back in the living room, and encourages mini celebrations at home. She says brands should think about how a product fits into someone's life and share a message bigger than the product, and uses Billie's razor ads as an example. Shopify, which produces the show, is the sponsor named in the description. PARTIAL COVERAGE: the captions cover roughly the first 12 minutes of the 32 minute episode, so later topics are not summarized. All claims are Alyse's own and are not independently checked. Nothing here is financial, legal or medical advice.
Key Takeaways
An idea from fridge factories
Alyse says her co-founder Sam learned from fridge factory managers that wine fridges had little innovation.
Wine fridge to drinks fridge
She says they widened the concept to an all in one drinks fridge, since nobody just drinks wine anymore.
Upgrade what people already own
She says many Americans already have a second fridge in the garage or a bar cart, and Rocco upgrades that.
Put the living back in the living room
She says Rocco is meant to be the center of home celebrations after the pandemic.
Mini celebrations
She says Rocco encourages small celebrations, from selling a painting to starting a new job.
Lifestyle over specs
She says to think less about features and more about how the product fits into someone's life.
A stance beyond the product
She says Billie was the first razor brand to show women's body hair, and brands need a message bigger than the product.
The Conversation Breakdown
An idea from fridge factories
⏱ Untimed topicAlyse says her co-founder Sam learned from fridge factory managers that wine fridges had little innovation.
Wine fridge to drinks fridge
⏱ Untimed topicShe says they widened the concept to an all in one drinks fridge, since nobody just drinks wine anymore.
Upgrade what people already own
⏱ Untimed topicShe says many Americans already have a second fridge in the garage or a bar cart, and Rocco upgrades that.
Put the living back in the living room
⏱ Untimed topicShe says Rocco is meant to be the center of home celebrations after the pandemic.
Mini celebrations
⏱ Untimed topicShe says Rocco encourages small celebrations, from selling a painting to starting a new job.
Lifestyle over specs
⏱ Untimed topicShe says to think less about features and more about how the product fits into someone's life.
A stance beyond the product
⏱ Untimed topicShe says Billie was the first razor brand to show women's body hair, and brands need a message bigger than the product.
Core Frameworks & Ideas
Market the lifestyle - Alyse's approach
Show how the product fits into life, not only specs.
Upgrade an existing habit - Rocco's validation
Find something people already have and improve it.
Take a stance - Alyse's Billie example
Have a message bigger than the product.
Actionable Next Steps
- ✓Describe how your product fits into a customer's day without listing features.
- ✓Find an existing item or habit your product could upgrade.
- ✓Write one message your brand stands for beyond the product.
- ✓Treat Alyse's marketing views as her own, not business advice.
Notable Quotes
“put the living back in the living room”
“we were just kind of upgrading it for them”
“you need to do that today in order to really not blend into everything else”
The One Thing to Remember
Alyse Borkan says Rocco markets a lifestyle of hosting and mini celebrations rather than fridge specs, and that a brand's message should be bigger than its product.