You’ve heard of Pura, right? If not, you may be living under a rock. Pura is the latest brand to make its way through raving posts on social media and for good reason: they’re the first fragrance brand to offer clean, diffusible scents (some of their own and some by beloved brands like Capri Blue or Anthropologie). Plus, they offer new technology through their smart wall-plugin device that connects to an app on your phone to give you full control over when and how you fill your house with delicious fragrance.

Because smell is an incredibly powerful marketing tool, it can be leveraged to create a successful brand… but only if done well. And, Pura does. it. well. Through the use of powerful imagery that help convey their scents visually on their website, to the way their scents are packaged that make them feel upscale and like a “treat” for your home, to the way they use brand partnerships to tug on nostalgia and emotion within their consumer base, Pura has a good understanding of how to do branding right. And because of that, they were high on my list of brands to interview in my Behind the Brand series.

I am so excited to share with you my interview with Gabby, who is part of the Public Relations and Branding team at Pura, to uncover some of Pura’s brand secrets and tips for success! Keep reading to find out ways Pura believes in the power of branding.

My Interview with Gabby Wahlin of Pura

Alright, first things first, tell us a bit about you and your brand — what does it stand for, and what makes it unique?

The brand stands out in a lot of ways, the main being that Pura was the very first smart fragrance diffuser! Some people thought our founders’ idea was strange at the beginning, but they knew how important fragrance was and that if we could unlock a convenient, safe, and smart way to incorporate it into your life then it would be a big hit. And they were right! Our device and app are so different than anything else available on the market. This is in big part due to the control and capabilities available within the app, but it also attributes to our incredible fragrance marketplace. We partner with so many amazing brands, and we translate popular, premium fragrances while also creating our own. All Pura fragrances are clean and safe for the home and all people in it, while also being premium, high-quality scents created by master perfumers. You definitely don’t get that from a lot of fragrance brands! 

As for me, I work specifically on PR and branding. It’s the best place to be, and it’s been so great to be a part of the growth and development of Pura, as I was one of the first 30 employees. It’s pretty crazy to see where we have come since I started. 

That’s incredible to have been one of the first thirty employees! I can only imagine how much you’ve learned and grown with the company. I also can say that, as a consumer myself, I appreciate your brand’s promise of clean fragrance. It’s what I love most about Pura! I also think that offering specific scents by other top brands was such a smart move. Do you think that having that aspect of immediate sub-brand (if you will) recognition and loyalty helped Pura grow in the beginning (for example, everyone knows and loves the scent, Volcano, even before Pura but now also as a Pura scent)?

I definitely think that partnering with well-loved brands was a key move for Pura at the beginning. It was such a great way to get the brand out there in the fragrance sphere, and it also gave customers an exciting new way to experience their favorite scents. As soon as people saw that we were connected with these incredible scents and brands, it gave us more credibility, while igniting curiosity. Volcano, by Capri Blue, blew up really quickly, and having a cult favorite and extremely popular fragrance in a fun new way that diffused made people so excited. Then, once they loved their experience there they become lovers of Pura and fans for life! Pura is definitely grateful and lucky to work with such amazing brand partners and we love translating or creating scents for people and brands. 

I love that! So smart from a marketing and branding perspective but also, as you mentioned, fun and exciting for the consumer! In your opinion, how important is having a unique brand experience to the growth/success of a company?

I might be a bit biased, but I think it’s the most important thing for a long-lasting, world-class company. Your brand is the core of your business, and it’s what people actually remember. We all know that everyone remembers how things make you feel over what you did or got, so that is what we focus on at Pura. We want everyone to feel uplifted and use a product that constantly brings that feeling into their lives. If people love the brand and feelings you’ve created, they will be with you for the long haul! 

I totally agree with you! And with scent being one of the most memorable aspects of marketing a brand, Pura’s attention to detail and quality of your fragrances is, I think, one of the most powerful marketing tools. But I will add, you guys also do an incredible job of creating a memorable brand experience at all touchpoints — your packaging is one of my favorites! That raised Spot UV used on your logo and your brand-green packaging… just beautiful! And now we need to know… who designed your brand’s incredible identity? Did you hire a professional or figure it out on your own?

That always means so much to us, so thank you! We have done all branding and identity from the inside. Something we’re proud of at Pura is the core of who we are—the people! We have been so lucky to work with and hire the very best people, who are passionate, creative, dedicated, and want to push boundaries while also doing what is best. The core of Pura is good because the people are good; we’ve built a brand around values that each employee truly believes in, so they are present in everything we do. We know there is always room for improvement, so we are continually working to make things better but are so appreciative of the support we’ve had thus far. 

That’s amazing and something to be proud of for sure! I love that you mention all of your employees share the same values your brand does. I can imagine how that really transforms and levels up every aspect of your brand from the inside out. How important do you think having a well-designed brand identity is in the growth/success of your brand?

It’s so important because it’s what people are drawn to. Great branding and design catch attention, and it makes people want to be a part of something. I also think it’s so vital to build a strong brand that people love because they will back what you’re doing and support your brand for a long time. If people are drawn to who your brand is at the core, then you know you’re reaching the right people and doing something that is important, instead of just selling a product to people who will buy it. 

So true! I always say that when you build a brand, you’re personifying an otherwise inanimate product. And when you can do that successfully, you help your consumer create an emotional bond with your product, which is an incredibly powerful marketing tool.

As a successful brand, what’s one tip you can give our audience on building a brand people want to get behind and support?

I’ll drop one of our favorite internal quotes: the brand is the dam that holds back commoditization. I find this so true. In a world where everyone has access to everything and there are so many products and content to go with them, you have to have something that stands out. The best way to do that nowadays is to build a brand that you are passionate about, and that doesn’t always happen fast. You need to be willing to put in the slow work, money, and time to create something that will actually last. And, most importantly, you need to believe in what you are doing!  

More from the Behind the Brand Series

A huge thank you to Gabby from Pura for chatting with me all about Pura’s amazing brand identity and marketing. As one of the biggest home fragrance brands on the market today, Pura is brand-savvy and making waves throughout social media and beyond. It was such a pleasure talking with Gabby and others on the Pura marketing team to learn more about the ways they believe good branding yields success in today’s market.

Are you liking the Behind the Brand series so far? I’d love to know which brands you’d like to learn from next! Comment below your biggest takeaway from today’s post and drop a few brands you’d love for me to interview next. Want more? You can read my last Behind the Brand series interview with Crumbl Cookies here.