Why Everybody Suddenly Wants to Be a Candle Brand
There’s a certain category of client I used to call the ‘maybe candles?’ types. The ones who didn’t sell candles, didn’t want to sell candles, but every moodboard they made was soaked in amber-lit serenity, soft-focus linen, maybe a fig. When did it become every brand’s dream to whisper, rather than speak?
Trawling through New Zealand brand campaigns from the past six months, you’ll notice the same scent wafting through. Flat lay of intention journal. Earthy colour grading. The new wellnessification of everything, from dog supplements to kitchen tiles. Everyone wants to be that quiet, healing friend who drinks mushroom coffee and reads signal-less books.
But here’s the kicker: many of these brands don’t sell anything remotely calming. Adtech platforms. Courier services. Crypto wallets. So what are they trying to say? That digital security feels like camomile? That overnight delivery has a scent profile? It’s not even misdirection, it’s ambient cosplay.
If your brand sells software that keeps finance teams from imploding, don’t try to be a waxed fig. Be the chaos-wrangler. Be the caffeine. Consistency might be the hobgoblin of small minds, but clarity is the moon that lights the way. We don’t need more candle energy in 2025. We need actual light.
Trawling through New Zealand brand campaigns from the past six months, you’ll notice the same scent wafting through. Flat lay of intention journal. Earthy colour grading. The new wellnessification of everything, from dog supplements to kitchen tiles. Everyone wants to be that quiet, healing friend who drinks mushroom coffee and reads signal-less books.
But here’s the kicker: many of these brands don’t sell anything remotely calming. Adtech platforms. Courier services. Crypto wallets. So what are they trying to say? That digital security feels like camomile? That overnight delivery has a scent profile? It’s not even misdirection, it’s ambient cosplay.
If your brand sells software that keeps finance teams from imploding, don’t try to be a waxed fig. Be the chaos-wrangler. Be the caffeine. Consistency might be the hobgoblin of small minds, but clarity is the moon that lights the way. We don’t need more candle energy in 2025. We need actual light.