Why This Luxury Brand Quit Social Media & Grew Anyway

In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Andres Figueira interviews Harry Doull, Founder and Creative Director of Keap Candles. Keap Candles is building a luxury candle brand that combines master perfumer-level scent design with radical circular design and a regenerative vision. What makes this conversation particularly compelling is Harry's counterintuitive marketing playbook: in January 2021, Keap completely abandoned social media - a decision that has strengthened rather than weakened their business. Through subscription-based customer relationships, strategic retail partnerships, and exceptional storytelling via newsletter, they've built a loyal community of "keepers" who value presence and connection over scrolling and distraction. Topics Discussed: The decision to completely exit social media platforms in 2021 Building a subscription-first business model for consumable luxury goods Using annual customer surveys as product development and marketing intelligence Strategic retail placement as first-touch marketing rather than mass distribution Creating alignment between company values and marketing channels Vertical integration as a competitive advantage in sustainable manufacturing Newsletter as primary customer relationship tool Avoiding vanity metrics and email list inflation tactics