Words by Mollie Dowling
With every influencer taking a stab at releasing a product, it’s inevitable that these vapid cash grabs turn out to be a flop. So when two Youtube sensations throw their hat into the ring, can we chalk it up as just another vanity project, or are we entering the new age of content to commerce?
Following the craze that had 14 year old boys queuing at ASDA’s up and down the country, KSI & Logan Paul‘s PRIME hydration drink sparked a trend that saw various content creators put down the camera and pick up a partnership at a major retailer. So almost three years later, and more branded tat than the shelves can carry, we find ourselves asking do we really need another Youtuber product? Well, content creators William ‘WillNE‘ Lenney and James Marriott seem to think so!
Launching Rodd’s earlier this month, the pair stepped away (momentarily) from reviewing pointless Amazon products and entered the ever popular bottled coffee market, releasing three unique flavours that seem to have fans running to their closest Sainsbury’s for a taste. Battling with some of the biggest brands, Rodd’s has dominated huge competitors Jimmy’s and Arctic Coffee, selling out within hours of the official launch, and this is just the beginning! With its rapid success only seeming to grow, it begs the question: is this just another fad that will be forgotten about in a couple of months, or will Rodd’s be the go-to for coffee drinkers across the nation?
Best known for commentary rather than caffeine, Will and James are legends in the UK Youtube scene, with a combined following of over 7 million subscribers. The duo shot to stardom roasting Love Island contestants and even going as far as faking a spot on the coveted ITV show I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here. Not shying away from absurd stunts in the name of a good video, It’s no wonder they’ve cultivated a fiercely loyal fanbase, one that would probably drink motor oil if it came in limited-edition packaging with their faces on it. Fortunately, Rodd’s Coffee is far from that.
Where many influencer products feel like they have an expiry date, once the trends die down and the hype long forgotten about, these guys flip the script, focusing more on vitality than virality. Of course we’ve all seen the videos of chaotic supermarket scrambles and novelty products that are just, well that, a novelty. As entertaining as they might be, all it really boils down to is a desperate attempt at cashing in whilst they’re still relevant. But Rodd‘s doesn’t follow this pattern, it doesn’t scream for attention. Rather than slapping their faces on a t-shirt and calling it a day, the pair have created something fans actually want, which is fundamentally the root of its success.
The shift from throwaway hype to everyday habit is something that whilst attempted numerous times in the influencer market (Chamberlain Coffee, Lunchly), has rarely ever been executed victoriously. Perhaps these content creators are just too out of touch to relate to their audiences anymore? And this is where Rodd‘s delivers. The product doesn’t pretend that it’s revolutionary, instead it takes a more grounded approach, paired with genuine attention to quality and a refusal to over inflate its importance, and that’s what keeps fans coming back. The pair have proven that Youtubers can build businesses that are both culturally sharp, and commercially sustainable, without losing their spark that made their audiences care in the first place.
Rodd‘s Coffee proves that the future of creator commerce isn’t in flashy packaging or poorly manufactured plastic crap, its products that actually live with their audience. It feels less like a forced brand extension, but rather a blueprint for how digital personalities can build something that lasts beyond the algorithm. Whilst it can be said that this product doesn’t necessarily disrupt the industry, it feels considered and culturally tuned in. Will and James aren’t just selling coffee, they’re selling a standard, and we can only hope that more influencers follow in their footsteps.
LDN 