King Brown is a timeless men's grooming product brand based in Australia that blends the modern and classic for a heightened experience. In this interview, founders Daen Brown and Daniel Binskin share the story behind King Brown Pomade, including how the company was started, the challenges they've had to overcome, trends they see in the industry, their most popular products and why customers will appreciate their high-quality products.
Brand Spotlight: King Brown Men's Grooming Products
Tell us a little about yourself. What inspired you to develop your own products. How did you get started? Please discuss any life experiences that encouraged you.
Dan and I forged our careers in the surf/fashion industry, which led me to assist with the retail rollout of Uppercut. That relationship ended a few years later and I saw the opportunity to introduce a new brand to the Australian market.
After a quick conversation with my mate, Daniel, the partnership was formed. We knew how to build a brand and had some exciting ideas we wanted to implement, so we decided to develop our own product rather than import an existing one. A year later, in September 2014, we officially released King Brown.
What were some challenges you had to overcome?
Like most bootstrapped start-ups, capital was always a factor in the business's growth. Executing and marketing great ideas costs money, and most of the time, you need more funds, but doing things half-arsed was never an option for us.
If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?
At the time, the market was dominated by gel-based products, so we intentionally launched our brand by developing an authentic oil-based pomade. We did this out of respect for the history of the category but also believed it would position us better long term as a genuinely credible pomade “brand”.
We underestimated how much harder it would make the marketing and selling process, so if we could go back, we would have preferred to start with multiple products rather than one.
What is your most popular product? Who is this product best for and why? What makes it different than anything else on the market, and why do you think people love/appreciate it?
Our matte pomade has been our most popular product. It was formulated with a clay and wax blend to create a pliable, textured hold, offering a healthy, natural look. This texturizing product suits all styles, from classics like the side part and pompadour to modern cuts like short textured crops. The pomade comes with a little beeswax and oil so you won't dry out your hair during application.
Discuss another popular product you'd like to share with our readers.
The grooming spray has been our fastest-growing product since the pandemic. The latest men's hair trends revolve around loose and relaxed styles stemming from the cultural change during the pandemic.
It's developed a strong following as an easy-to-use, versatile product. You can use it as a pre-styler for volume and texture or with another styling product for added hold.
What men's hair or grooming products are trending right now?
These days, we are seeing the most diverse men's hairstyles. Modern variations like the mullet are still everywhere, but the classics are making a comeback, with everything in between. It's all in the cycle of fashion – nothing ever wholly dies down, and there is no right or wrong, only self-expression.
What corporate achievement are you most proud of?
As a brand, we feel we have run some of the most community- and socially-conscious initiatives in the industry. We're known for our affiliate-friendly commissions on web sales with the “Back Your Barber” campaign during the pandemic, collaboration with mental health awareness advocate group LIVIN and continuous support of the Mick Fanning Charity Golf Day.
Please share some unique grooming, styling or care advice with our readers.
Use a gel-based product over an oil-based product for a few days to emulsify the oils and make the degreasing process easier.
What's something interesting you learned about the industry?
Understanding your market is critical to evaluating the scope and scalability of your business. It's easy to sit in your office and develop what you think is a great idea, but if you don't understand what's happening in barbershops and people's homes, then the disconnect becomes very evident.
When you're not at the office, what are your hobbies/interests?
Dan and I live near the beach, so when we're not working, we're surfing.
Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers?
Thanks for your support! We're excited about the next chapter.
