Homesick began as a brand centered around nostalgia, starting with candles that captured the scents of each U.S. state. These candles aimed to create a feeling of home no matter where someone was. The brand was developed at BuzzFeed, allowing experimentation and learning at every stage.
Created at BuzzFeed Product Labs, NYC
PEOPLE GET HOMESICK
The idea originated from recognizing that a significant portion of the population moves each year (20%) and targeting them on Facebook through an emotional appeal of being homesick. Homesick used "identity-based commerce," similar to BuzzFeed's relatable content strategy.
SKETCH TO STORE IN MONTHS
All aspects of the brand, including photoshoots, marketing, e-commerce, and copywriting, were handled in-house. Partnerships with printers and major retailers like Macy's and Urban Outfitters were formed, along with an eCommerce site.
“The Wisconsin candle features notes of cranberry, Danish kringle, and winter air.”
—Travel + Leisure, by Erika Owen
DESIGN THAT SELLS
Homesick experienced exceptional sales growth during the 2016 holiday season, selling over 64,000 candles quickly. Lessons learned from this venture were applied to future BuzzFeed projects. Today, Homesick is the largest candle brand on Amazon, offering various products representing various states, cities, occasions, and meaningful moments.
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Designed at
BuzzFeed, NYC
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Creatives
Head of Design: Viresh Chopra
Senior Designer: Kelly Na
Illustrations: Ivy Tai -
Photography + Videos
Spry + Mighty
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Candle Vendor
Aromatic Fillers