In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Roman Kirsch interviews Hilary Strong, CMO of smol, the UK-based challenger brand disrupting the laundry and cleaning category. Founded in 2018 by two ex-Unilever colleagues, smol has revolutionized how consumers buy cleaning products by combining D2C subscription delivery with sustainable, high-performance products at accessible prices. Hilary shares how they’ve built a brand that customers proudly display rather than hide under the sink, while maintaining competitive pricing against mass market giants like Unilever and P&G.

Topics Discussed:

• Dual disruption strategy: simultaneously changing product and distribution models

• Balancing sustainability with performance and accessible pricing

• Creating desirable aesthetics in traditionally hidden product categories

• Organizational structure: splitting CMO and Chief Growth Officer roles

• Upper funnel brand building vs. performance marketing allocation

• International expansion challenges in France and Germany

• Consumer behavior evolution around ingredient transparency and sustainability

Lessons For Consumer Marketers:

Execute Dual Disruption When Market Conditions Are Right

Smol disrupted both product (sustainable, concentrated formulas) and distribution (D2C subscription) simultaneously in 2018. Rather than seeing this as risky, Hilary argues the distribution disruption actually enabled their product differentiation to break through. In established categories with ingrained shopping habits, changing where people buy can be essential to communicating why your product is different.

Apply the “Million People Doing Sustainability Imperfectly” Philosophy

Instead of targeting sustainability purists willing to pay 50% premiums, smol benchmarks pricing against mass market competitors. Their philosophy: “Rather than a thousand people doing sustainability perfectly, we’d rather have a million people doing sustainability imperfectly.” This approach maximizes both market impact and environmental benefit by making sustainable choices accessible to mainstream consumers.

Transform Hidden Products Into Display-Worthy Brand Assets

Smol redesigned cleaning products that consumers previously hid under sinks into items they proudly display on countertops. Through slick design, strategic use of color, premium fragrance, and contemporary packaging, they created products that customers want to be seen using. This visibility drives organic word-of-mouth and serves as a “badge of pride” for environmentally conscious consumers.

Structure Marketing Organizations for Complementary Skill Sets

Hilary splits responsibilities with a Chief Growth Officer: she handles brand development, innovation, PR, organic social, and customer service while he manages performance marketing, email, influencers, affiliates, and data analysis. This separation allows for both short-term performance optimization and long-term brand building without daily conflicts over resource allocation.

Integrate Upper Funnel Brand Building With Performance Channels

Smol’s learning from their “Sick of Plastic” TV campaign was that brand building and performance marketing were too separated. Their new approach runs brand-building creative through performance channels, allowing them to track traditional brand metrics (awareness, consideration) alongside channel-specific metrics (video views, duration) while maintaining integrated customer journeys.

Localize International Expansion Beyond Language and Culture

When expanding to France and Germany, smol discovered operational differences that required model adaptation. French postal costs necessitated larger pack sizes, while German consumers’ skepticism of subscriptions required alternative signup flows starting with single purchases. These learnings show that successful international expansion requires operational flexibility, not just cultural adaptation.

Capitalize on Fragrance as a Brand Identifier

Hilary identifies fragrance as an exploding consumer need linked to aesthetic desires. Customers now want cleaning products that create signature scents in their homes and on their clothing. Smol leverages this by creating distinctive fragrances that become brand identifiers – with customers reporting strangers asking “Do you use smol?” based on scent recognition.

Combat Misinformation Through Radical Transparency

In a category filled with scaremongering about ingredients, smol focuses on honest transparency about their choices rather than fearmongering about competitors. They constantly evaluate ingredient sourcing and alternatives while providing detailed product information, positioning themselves as trustworthy educators rather than fear-based marketers.