Getting seen is no longer the hard part for brands. Staying relevant is.
People are surrounded by products, ads and launches. What gets through is connection, and more and more, brands are building that connection with merch.
Rhode, Hailey Bieber's beauty brand, is a clear example of merch moving from a promotional extra to a central part of brand strategy.
Merch as part of the brand world
Rhode doesn't treat merch as a separate category. Its lifestyle objects, like phone cases, accessories and towels, feel like a natural part of the brand universe. They don't look like they were made "for marketing".
That difference matters. Each object pulls the audience further into the brand's world.
The objects share the values of the core product line: simple, soft, restrained and consistent. They signal taste rather than shouting a logo. People choose them because they fit their lives.
From customers to participants
Owning a Rhode object is a way of joining a specific visual and cultural language. The items live in bathrooms, on phones and in daily routines. They turn up in mirror selfies and social posts without anyone being asked to post them.
The brand stays present without demanding attention. That's where merch shows its strength: brand presence stops being an interruption and becomes part of everyday life.
Why merch builds attachment
Advertising builds awareness. Merch builds attachment. Good merch:
- stays in people's lives far longer than a campaign
- creates repeated, physical moments with the brand
- gets seen because people actually use it
- inspires people to post about it, unprompted
As paid media gets more expensive and less trusted, that kind of quiet, lasting visibility becomes very valuable.
Scarcity and timing
Rhode's merch isn't always available. It appears at the right moment, in limited numbers, timed with product drops or cultural peaks. That creates:
- anticipation, so people look forward to it
- desire, without overexposure
- conversation, rather than background noise
Scarcity drives demand, and it also tells people these objects matter.
What this means for other brands
Rhode shows that merch can be:
- a way to tell the brand's story
- a way to build community
- a way to spread a brand's values and look
Brands that treat merch as optional miss the chance to exist beyond screens. Brands that put it at the centre gain something more lasting than impressions: a place in people's lives.
In short
Done well, merch deepens the relationship between a brand and the people who love it. When attention is short, the brands that last are the ones people can hold, use and live with.