Fashion and beauty may be different industries, but Kim Kardashian’s Skims and Hailey Bieber’s Rhode have proven that a modern brand campaign playbook can transcend categories. Both brands – one a shapewear line and the other a skincare startup – have skyrocketed to cult status in a short time by employing strikingly similar marketing strategies. Each is a celebrity-founded, direct-to-consumer brand that generates enormous buzz with every product launch. From founder-led storytelling and drop-style product releases to minimalist creative direction and savvy use of social media, Skims and Rhode are writing the new rules of brand campaigning. The result: sold-out products, mile-long waitlists, and cultural conversations that keep consumers hooked.

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Founder-Led Storytelling and Hype

One of the most powerful assets both Skims and Rhode have is an extremely visible founder who is the brand’s persona. Kim Kardashian West and Hailey Bieber don’t just endorse their brands; they embody them. Founder-led marketing is front and center. Campaigns often launch through the founders’ personal channels before anywhere else, leveraging their massive followings. Kim Kardashian’s Instagram (with over 350 million followers) routinely teases Skims drops days in advance – often outperforming the engagement on Skims’ official account. Hailey Bieber likewise seeds Rhode’s new products via her TikToks, YouTube vlogs, and GRWM (“get ready with me”) Instagram stories, making her audience feel personally involved in each launch. This intimate, authentic preview strategy ensures that by the time an official campaign rolls out, millions of fans are already invested.

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Both founders also use their personal narratives and aesthetics to shape the brand story. Kim famously started Skims to solve her own shapewear frustrations, cutting and dyeing undergarments to match her skin tone. She built Skims’ identity around solutions and inclusivity (the tagline “Solutions for Every Body” speaks to its skin-tone range and sizes XXS to 5X). Hailey, on the other hand, infused Rhode with her signature “glazed-donut skin” ethos – the dewy, gleaming complexion that went viral on TikTok as her beauty trademark. Pre-launch, Bieber frequently talked about achieving a “glazed” glow and even coined the term, which created instant cultural momentum for Rhode. By the time Rhode officially launched in June 2022 with just three core products, fans were already clamoring to get that Hailey Bieber glow. Bieber’s polished yet personal content – from sharing skincare routines to behind-the-scenes development stories – has continued to build loyalty, making her Rhode’s “most valuable marketing asset” in terms of audience engagement.

In short, both brands benefit from a built-in influencer at the helm. The founders’ star power provides credibility and reach, but more importantly, their hands-on presence in campaigns adds a storytelling element. Consumers feel like they’re part of Kim’s and Hailey’s inner circle during a product launch. That founder-driven narrative, backed by genuine enthusiasm, turns campaigns into relatable stories rather than just advertisements. As a result, when Kim or Hailey says “I love this product, here’s how I use it,” the audience listens – and converts.

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Product-Centric Launches as Event Drops

Another similarity is that every campaign is product-led – the product is always the hero of the story – and launches are orchestrated as events. Neither Skims nor Rhode ever quietly releases a new SKU; they build an entire campaign narrative around it and treat the drop like a happening you can’t miss. In today’s landscape of “drop culture,” they excel at creating anticipation and urgency.

Both brands keep their product lines tightly curated, focusing on hero products. Skims started in 2019 essentially with one category (solution-focused shapewear) and gradually expanded to underwear, loungewear, swim, and now menswear, each time via distinct campaigns. Rhode launched with just three hero skincare products – the Peptide Glazing Fluid, Barrier Restore Cream, and Peptide Lip Treatment – in June 2022, and deliberately maintained a lean catalog initially. This “quality over quantity” approach (or as Hailey calls it, the “slow beauty” philosophy) means that when something new comes, it has weight and focus. Every campaign is built around one specific launch – whether it’s a new shapewear collection or a single skincare item – ensuring the message is clear and the product gets its full moment to shine.

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The rollout structure of these launches follows a similar formula for both brands: tease → reveal → drop → sell out → repeat. They have mastered the art of the momentum curve. For example, Skims typically starts teasing a new drop about a week out. Cryptic hints or behind-the-scenes clips might appear on social media (often originating from Kim’s own account) to spark curiosity. A few days later comes the full reveal: editorial-quality campaign images and videos flood Skims’ Instagram and website, accompanied by product details, pricing, and the story or theme of the collection.

Hype continues to build with media coverage and influencer seeding – fashion outlets from Vogue to Hypebae start talking about the campaign, and influencers and celebrities might post sneak peeks of the PR packages they received. By the time drop day arrives, the buzz is at a fever pitch. Skims then goes all-out on conversion: email blasts and text alerts to subscribers, “available now” posts across platforms, and a web store countdown or homepage takeover. The result? Items often sell out within minutes or hours, fueling the perception that every Skims launch is a must-have event. (Indeed, when Skims first launched in 2019, it generated $2 million in sales in minutes and crashed the site– a pattern it has more or less continued with each hyped release.)

Rhode has emulated this drop culture playbook almost to the letter. Hailey Bieber will start by casually teasing a new product in her routine – for instance, wearing an unreleased lip color in a video – stirring speculation among her fans. A formal announcement or reveal follows on Rhode’s official channels, often with Hailey as the face of the campaign and sometimes a co-star (as we’ll discuss later). The campaign clearly spotlights the product’s benefits and the story (for example, the debut of Rhode’s Peptide Lip Tint was accompanied by a campaign about “juicy, dewy lips” and how it fits the glazed skin look).

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Like Skims, Rhode leverages press and influencers to amplify the noise; by launch day, there are waitlists of eager consumers ready to click “buy.” When Rhode’s initial products launched, they sold out within days, and the Peptide Lip Treatment had a staggering 440,000-person waitlist almost immediately after launch. Rhode routinely uses tactics like waitlist sign-ups, limited drops, and “coming soon” teases to replicate that get it before it’s gone frenzy.

Both brands have effectively converted FOMO into a growth strategy. Rather than rely on discounts or long availability, they use scarcity and quick sell-outs to train customers that if you don’t jump on a drop, you might literally miss out. Skims, for instance, adopted a weekly drop schedule at one point – “Drops, not discounts,” as one analysis put it– releasing new colors or capsules every Sunday so that buying into the hype became a habit for fans.

One iconic example was the Skims Soft Lounge Long Slip Dress: after a celebrity was seen wearing it on TikTok, Skims launched it as a new product in 2022 and ended up selling 250,000+ units with a 250,000-person waitlist for restocks. It became a viral must-have across social media, illustrating how Skims turns products into cultural phenomena through savvy drop timing. Similarly, Rhode’s limited-edition launches (like the viral Strawberry Glaze lip treatment collaboration we’ll discuss below) have consistently sparked social media frenzies and massive waitlists. By engineering exclusivity and scarcity, both brands keep demand higher than supply – an enviable position that feeds back into even more hype for the next drop.

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Strategic Casting, Collaborations, and Cultural Relevance

Perhaps the flashiest similarity between Skims and Rhode campaigns is their hyper-strategic use of faces and partnerships to generate conversation. Every model, celebrity, or collaboration partner is chosen with purpose – not just for aesthetics, but for influence and cultural relevance.

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Skims has turned campaign casting into an art form. Kim Kardashian leverages her extensive network to secure big names that will get people talking. The brand has featured all kinds of celebrities: from older supermodels (as in the “Icons” campaign that reunited Tyra, Heidi, Alessandra, and Candice in Skims underwear) to Gen Z music stars (for example, an April 2023 Skims shapewear ad starred four buzzy young musicians – Ice Spice, PinkPantheress, RAYE, and Nessa Barrett – to connect with the TikTok generation) to athletes (Skims partnered with Team USA athletes for Olympics loungewear, and recently signed NBA and soccer players for its mens line).

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Each casting choice is deliberate in tapping into a specific audience or cultural moment. By putting, say, a hot new rapper or a beloved 90s supermodel in a Skims campaign, the brand ensures it will dominate not just fashion headlines but also meme pages, fan discussions, and group chats. Even unexpected pairings create buzz: when Kim appeared in a Skims ad alongside rapper Ice Spice (someone from a very different pop culture sphere), the internet went wild with surprise and delight – exactly as intended. As one marketing analysis noted, “SKIMS excels at reactive marketing by collaborating with high-profile celebrities and influencers… from Nicola Coughlan of ‘Bridgerton’ and Usher at the Super Bowl, to Snoop Dogg to Lana Del Rey. Partnering with trending, influential names keeps the brand constantly in social conversations.”.

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In other words, Skims campaigns feel like events in part because the cast itself is newsworthy. The brand isn’t afraid to mix it up: one month it’s 50-year-old supermodels, another month it’s SZA in sheer lingerie, the next it’s Snoop Dogg modeling pajamas with his family. This diversity in casting reinforces Skims’ image of inclusivity and cultural ubiquity – it’s a brand for everyone, seen on everyone.

Rhode, being a newer and smaller brand, doesn’t have quite the Rolodex that Kim does, but Hailey Bieber has been savvy in her own right with casting and collaborations. First, Hailey herself is the face of Rhode in almost every campaign – which makes sense, as her own image of glowing, healthy skin is the brand’s best advertisement. But she’s also brought others into the fold in clever ways. For instance, Rhode’s early campaigns leaned heavily on user-generated content (more on that later) and everyday models to emphasize approachability.

As the brand grew, Hailey began introducing notable personalities that align with Rhode’s vibe. A prime example is Rhode’s recent partnership with Tate McRae, a young singer-songwriter and dancer popular with Gen Z. McRae starred in Rhode’s 2025 “Peptide Lip Shape” campaign (promoting a new lip product) alongside Hailey. The campaign’s creative direction was a nod to ’90s high fashion, even paying tribute to Versace’s aesthetic, and having a rising pop star like McRae front and center helped Rhode tap into a younger audience and music fandoms.

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Another example is Rhode’s playful collaboration with Krispy Kreme in 2023: to launch a limited-edition Strawberry Glaze lip treatment, Hailey partnered with the iconic doughnut brand (playing on the “glazed” skin pun). This unlikely collab was a stroke of marketing genius – it blended beauty with nostalgic foodie fun, spawned endless TikTok chatter, and of course sold out immediately, further bolstering Rhode’s waitlists and hype. The Strawberry Glaze drop not only moved product, it also reinforced Rhode’s personality as a trend-aware, whimsical brand (who else would link lip gloss to doughnuts?) that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

The strategy here for both brands is cultural relevance. Skims and Rhode make sure their campaigns intersect with what’s trending in broader culture. If a TV show, musician, or meme is catching fire, you might see a reference to it in a campaign. Skims famously jumped on The White Lotus craze by casting the show’s breakout actresses Simona Tabasco and Beatrice Grannò in a Valentine’s campaign for its lingerie – a move that had fans of the show (and media) applauding the clever timing‍.

Rhode’s move to cast Harris Dickinson (a rising actor from an edgy indie film) in its Glazing Mist campaign was similarly timely; Hailey noticed his performance in Babygirl and knew he’d bring the right energy and buzz as Rhode’s first male campaign model. In a WWD interview she explained she “wanted to use a male face” to expand Rhode’s community, and that Dickinson’s involvement could create “good synergy” with the brand. Indeed, the black-and-white ads of Dickinson spritzing his face with Glazing Mist got plenty of attention in fashion and beauty circles.

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Crucially, even as they chase trends, both brands maintain a consistent brand ethos through these collabs and casts. Skims’ partnerships – whether with individuals or other brands (like its much-hyped Fendi x Skims capsule that astonishingly generated $1 million in sales within the first minute of release) – always circle back to its core themes of body positivity, inclusivity, and functionality. The supermodel “Icons” campaign wasn’t just a nostalgic stunt; it implicitly positioned Skims as the new era of lingerie that welcomes all women, countering the idea that only 20-somethings can model underwear. Rhode’s pop culture tie-ins similarly reinforce its identity of approachable luxury and playful simplicity. By choosing collaborators that “click” with its clean-girl aesthetic (whether that’s a fresh-faced singer like Tate McRae or a beloved comfort-food brand like Krispy Kreme), Rhode stays true to its image while expanding its reach.

The takeaway: Both Skims and Rhode carefully orchestrate the who and the what of every campaign to ensure it taps into current conversations. The right face or partner can explode a campaign’s impact, and these brands have shown a knack for picking winners. It’s marketing alchemy – blending star power, trend alignment, and brand values to create cultural moments that double as advertising.

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Minimalist, On-Brand Creative Direction

Amid all the buzz and celebrity cameos, Skims and Rhode also share a common visual philosophy: keep it clean, keep it focused. The creative direction for both brands’ campaigns is notably minimalist and consistent, reinforcing their brand identities at a glance.

Skims campaigns are instantly recognizable for their sleek, body-centric aesthetic. The visuals typically feature clean, monochromatic backdrops – think shades of nude, grey, or taupe that echo the brand’s inclusive skin-tone palette – and studio lighting that highlights skin and fabric textures. There’s an almost clinical simplicity to many Skims shoots: no busy environments, no distracting props, just the product on the body. This is by design. As one fashion editor noted, Skims’ campaign imagery often takes a “minimalist approach that puts whoever is appearing in them center stage”, rather than letting any background or elaborate styling steal focus. In practice, that means a Skims ad might just show a model (or Kim herself) against a seamless backdrop, posed to showcase the cut and fit of the garment and the natural curves of the body.

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The color palette is usually neutral – lots of beiges, browns, blacks, and whites – aligning with the brand’s tones of shapewear. The clothing pieces themselves are often basics (tanks, bodysuits, briefs) styled in an editorial yet accessible way. It feels luxe but not fussy. For example, in Skims’ “Icons” supermodel campaign, the images (shot by Sandy Kim and Greg Swales) were simply the four women in matching nude-toned underwear against a white draped background. The effect was striking: the focus was on their different body shapes, ages, and skin tones all unified by the Skims undergarments, delivering the message of inclusivity visually. Skims’ creative direction, overseen by Kim (as Chief Creative Officer), is very much “less is more”: let the product and the people do the talking. This approach not only creates a strong visual brand consistency, but it also stands out in a social media feed – a Skims photo is bold in its simplicity, immediately telling you it’s Skims.

Rhode, likewise, sticks to a minimalist and skin-first visual style in its campaigns. From day one, Hailey Bieber set the tone with Rhode’s packaging and imagery: everything is pared-down, clean, and dewy. Campaign shoots often have an intimate, editorial feel – sometimes even intentionally lo-fi or candid to emphasize real skin. A signature of Rhode’s creative direction is focusing on skin texture and glow as the “hero,” since the products are skincare.

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For instance, Rhode’s debut visuals showed Hailey’s face up close, gleaming with the “glazed” look, against simple backdrops. In a notable 2023 campaign for the peptide lip treatment, Hailey was photographed in simple lighting, dripping water from her mouth (to mimic the juicy, glazed effect) – an image that was daring yet minimalistic. In 2025, Rhode released a much-talked-about black-and-white campaign for its new Glazing Mist, featuring actor Harris Dickinson alongside Hailey. The photos, shot by Drew Vickers, are stripped back to basics: Dickinson and Bieber against a plain backdrop, covered in fine droplets of mist on their skin. The absence of color or elaborate set directs all attention to the sheen on their faces – literally highlighting the product’s effect (a hydrated, luminous complexion). Bieber explained that she wanted a “beautiful, natural and organic” feel for the campaign, without anything gimmick. The result was chic and sporty, aligning with Rhode’s modern minimalism. As People described, the series of black-and-white images manifests Hailey’s signature aesthetic – the “glazed donut” skin look – in a refined way.

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Another aspect of both brands’ creative approach is consistency. Skims has a very consistent visual language: whether it’s a campaign for shapewear, swimwear, or the mens collection, there’s a through-line in lighting, tone, and mood. It’s usually sensual yet strong, and always focused on the human form. Rhode’s consistency is seen in its color palette (muted, soft tones in packaging and often in backdrops), and in Hailey’s frequent presence ensuring that the brand’s look = Hailey’s look. This consistency builds trust – consumers know what kind of vibe to expect from each brand. Interestingly, both Skims and Rhode prove that minimalism can be memorable. In an era where some brands go maximalist on TikTok to grab attention, these two have carved out a niche by doing the opposite: creating calming, streamlined visuals that cut through the noise and reinforce their core message (body confidence for Skims; healthy skin for Rhode).

Finally, it’s worth noting that the minimalist approach also extends to messaging and copy in campaigns. The slogans and captions are straightforward and on-point. Skims often uses just a few words to describe a launch (“Fits Everybody Collection – out now” or “The next generation of shapewear”). Rhode leans into its founder’s voice with simple tags like “glazed skin in a bottle” or “healthy skin is in”. In both cases, the clarity of message pairs with the clarity of the visuals. Every campaign feels tight – there’s a singular focus (the product), a clear aesthetic, and nothing extraneous to dilute it.

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Social-First Marketing and Community Buzz

If Skims and Rhode know how to create a product hype bubble, it’s largely because they dominate the platforms where their customers live – namely, Instagram and TikTok – and nurture devoted communities through savvy social media and direct engagement. Both brands are quintessentially social-first in their campaign strategy, amplifying their message through influencers, user-generated content, and even direct messaging like email/SMS to drive conversion.

Instagram is the flagship stage for both brands. Skims, for example, has over 7 million followers on Instagram and frequently garners hundreds of thousands (sometimes millions) of views on its Reels. But notably, Kim Kardashian’s personal Instagram (with 10x the followers) often serves as an extension of the Skims marketing channel. Kim isn’t shy about posting Skims campaign imagery or teaser videos on her own feed, essentially tapping into a massive organic reach that most brands could only dream of. This dual-channel approach – founder’s account + brand account – ensures that a Skims campaign will blanket social media on launch week. For Rhode, Hailey Bieber’s social presence is similarly leveraged. Her posts teasing Rhode products often get higher engagement than the brand’s official page, simply due to her star power. In both cases, the founders’ ability to direct huge amounts of traffic and attention to their brands gives them an edge over competitors. It’s like having an influencer with hundreds of millions of followers on permanent retainer (who also happens to be the creative director!).

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Beyond the founders, influencer marketing and UGC (user-generated content) are pillars of both brands’ strategies. Skims runs a robust influencer program – it has an official application portal where content creators can sign up to be ambassadors. The result has been an enormous network of influencers from mega-celebs to micro-creators promoting Skims. On Instagram and TikTok, it’s common to see countless women (and men) of all sizes trying on Skims fits, reviewing new drops, and showing how they style them.

By 2024, SKIMS had amassed over 56,000 creator mentions across Instagram and TikTok – essentially a tidal wave of word-of-mouth that keeps the brand constantly trending. Skims smartly re-posts or even uses this UGC in paid ads, adding authenticity to its marketing. They also use techniques like whitelisting (boosting posts from influencers’ accounts as ads) to blend sponsored content into the social feed more natively. All of this means that when a Skims campaign drops, you’re not just seeing it from Skims or Kim – you’re seeing it from dozens of influencers you follow who got the product early or are sharing their honest thoughts. It creates a sense that “everyone’s talking about Skims,” which only fuels more curiosity and FOMO.

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Rhode, though a smaller operation, has been a fast follower of this play. In fact, Rhode’s growth has been cited as a case study in how celebrity brands can scale with creators. Between 2022 and 2024, Rhode scaled its creator community by over 330%, going from a handful of influencers to more than 8,000 creators in the U.S. alone promoting the brand. Hailey and her team actively seeded products to skincare enthusiasts, beauty TikTokers, and everyday customers, encouraging them to share their “Rhode glow-ups” online. The effect has been significant: Rhode’s content performance (as measured by engagement rates on these posts) grew from 6.9% in 2022 to 8% in 2024, indicating that the buzz and quality of UGC kept rising alongside the number of people talking about it.

Put simply, Rhode managed to move beyond just being propped up by Hailey’s fame – it cultivated a community of real advocates who love the products and generate ongoing excitement. This is exactly what a sustainable brand needs; as marketing analysts have pointed out, the best celebrity-founded brands eventually “reduce their reliance on the celebrity and invest in cultivating diverse, engaged creator communities.” Rhode exemplifies this by now having a chorus of voices – not just Hailey’s – singing its praises across social platforms. (Of course, Hailey still remains the brand’s biggest cheerleader and a frequent collaborator in influencer videos – she often duets or reposts fans using Rhode, reinforcing that sense of an approachable, interactive brand.)

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Both brands also make sure that the social media buzz converts to sales through strong direct-to-consumer funnels. They have each mastered email and SMS marketing to complement their social campaigns. A common pattern: in the days leading up to a drop, subscribers receive teaser emails (“Something exciting coming soon” with a glossy campaign image) and possibly early access links or waitlist signups. On launch day, emails and texts go out at the drop time with a bold call-to-action (“Shop now – limited stock!”). Skims in particular is known for its aggressive drop-day communications; the morning a collection goes live, your inbox and phone notifications will remind you multiple times, creating a sense of urgency. Rhode too uses a waitlist system for hot items, emailing people as soon as there’s a restock or new product, often with a personalized touch (“You’re on the list! Your turn to purchase the new Glazing Milk is here.”). These tactics ensure that all the awareness generated on Instagram or TikTok has a clear path to conversion on the brands’ websites.

It’s worth noting that omnichannel presence is growing for both as well – Skims has expanded into physical retail (with pop-ups, Nordstrom partnerships, and now flagship stores) and Rhode recently announced a major retail rollout into Sephora stores Yet even these moves are marketed in a very social-first way. For example, when Rhode revealed it would be carried in Sephora, Hailey announced it via an Instagram video celebrating the milestone, and Rhode’s account encouraged fans to tag them when spotting Rhode in stores. Skims’ store openings in New York and Los Angeles were heavily documented on social media, including a now-famous stunt of a 60-foot-tall Kim Kardashian balloon displayed in NYC to announce the new Skims shop – instantly Instagrammed by passersby and press. In essence, even as they branch out, Skims and Rhode treat every marketing touchpoint as a social media moment.

Lastly, both brands keep a tight feedback loop with their community. They monitor what’s trending (for instance, if a certain color of Skims dress goes viral on TikTok, you can bet they’ll restock it quickly). They often repost fan content, publicly thank their followers, and incorporate popular requests into product development (Rhode’s recent expansion into new product categories like tinted lip treatments came after Hailey saw the demand and viral fan experiments mixing her products). This community-driven approach makes customers feel heard and even more loyal – a key reason why Skims boasts a high retention rate (one report noted 14% of its customers purchased again within 15 months, which is solid for apparel) and Rhode managed to explode to an estimated $100M revenue in just its second year.

In summary, Skims and Rhode understand that a campaign doesn’t succeed in a vacuum. It needs the amplifier of social media buzz and the authenticity of community chatter. By dominating Instagram/TikTok feeds and turning customers into evangelists, both brands ensure that when they do launch that next product, there’s a captive (and growing) audience ready to click “add to cart.”

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TLDR;

At first glance, one might not expect a shapewear line and a skincare brand to have much in common. But Skims and Rhode have charted a marketing path that is remarkably similar – and remarkably effective. It’s a formula that other brands in 2025 and beyond are keen to emulate:

• Leverage the Founder’s Influence: Put the founder at the forefront as the credible face and storyteller of the brand. In a time when consumers crave authenticity, seeing Kim Kardashian or Hailey Bieber personally announce a product makes it feel more trustworthy and exciting.
• Make the Product the Hero: Don’t dilute focus with too many launches at once. Instead, build each campaign around a single product or collection, and craft a narrative that gives it cultural context and desirability. In Skims and Rhode campaigns, the product isn’t just an item – it’s tied to a trend, a solution, or a story that resonates.
• Create Drops and Dominate the Timeline: Treat launches like events with a clear pre-launch and launch rhythm. Tease, reveal, and hype up to a crescendo, so that customers mark their calendars. Then use scarcity – limited stock, limited time – to drive urgency. Both brands have shown that selling out (even if it means some short-term revenue left on the table) can be beneficial in the long run by increasing the brand’s allure and fueling even bigger waitlists next time.
• Keep Creative Direction Consistent: Develop a signature visual style and stick to it. Skims’ muted, body-focused photography and Rhode’s dewy, minimalist imagery have each built strong brand recognition. The consistency across campaigns builds a cohesive brand world that customers want to be a part of.
• Tap into Culture with Strategic Casting/Collabs: Continuously inject the brand into the cultural conversation by associating with the right people and partners. Whether it’s through celebrity-filled campaigns, influencer partnerships, or unexpected brand collaborations, Skims and Rhode ensure their launches never happen in a cultural vacuum. They always have a hook that gets media and consumers talking.
• Be Social-First and Community-Centric: In today’s landscape, a campaign lives or dies by social media. These brands start the drumbeat on Instagram and TikTok, use influencers and UGC as fuel, and engage their communities at every step. They turn customers into fans and fans into unofficial marketers each time they repost a selfie using the product or share a TikTok review. And they close the loop with direct channels like email/SMS to make sure all that engagement translates to sales.

The similarities in the Skims and Rhode approach speak to a broader shift in how modern brands – especially those born online – are building hype and loyalty. It’s not about a single billboard or a one-off ad spot anymore; it’s about creating an ongoing narrative and ecosystem around your brand that makes each product launch feel like a pop culture moment. Both Skims and Rhode have effectively blurred the line between marketing and entertainment, between commerce and community. A Skims campaign is as much a media event as it is a sales driver, and the same can be said for Rhode on a slightly smaller scale.

Marketers, creatives, and brand owners can study this playbook and adapt it: center your narrative on authenticity and culture, orchestrate your product drops like premieres, and harness the power of social media multiplication. Of course, not everyone has a Kardashian or a Bieber at the helm – but the essence of their strategy can work even without an A-list name, as long as you focus on what makes your brand culturally relevant and find the voices (influencers or customers) who can amplify it.

In the end, what Skims and Rhode demonstrate is that the rules of engagement have changed. Consumers today don’t just buy a product; they buy into a story, a vibe, a community. By recognizing that and executing on it relentlessly, a brand in any category – be it fashion, beauty, or beyond – can generate the kind of heat that these two have. The specific products might make you look snatched or make your skin glow, but the campaign formula is what makes the brand shine. And in that, Skims and Rhode are two sides of the same coin: proof that this new-age approach to campaigns delivers results, glossy and tangible in equal measure.