Leveraging Visual Design for Viral Marketing | Cleo Davis-Urman | Barrière

Cleo is the Co-Founder of Barrière and also serves as the brand’s CEO and brand-lead. Before starting Barrière with her Co-Founder, Alexa Adams, in 2020, Cleo had over a decade of experience in corporate fashion and styling. 

She was inspired to leave the corporate world and start Barrière to offer a chic, yet medically-effective masking option to customers during the global pandemic. This led her and Alexa to expanding the brand into transdermal supplement patches, as inspired by her own issues with nutritional deficiencies. 

Before starting Barrière, Cleo’s most recent professional roles included Brand Manager at Moda Operandi and Director of Special Projects at Saks Fifth Avenue, where she led brand, marketing, and e-commerce strategy for these top fashion destinations. 

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• [00:00] Intro
• [02:19] Finding inspiration from personal pain points
• [05:04] Sponsor: Klaviyo
• [07:03] Setting your own standards when regulations fall short
• [10:26] Avoiding the one-size-fits-all trap in product design
• [12:16] Sponsor: Intelligems
• [14:15] Seeding products to spark word-of-mouth online
• [16:18] Choosing product confidence over paid promotion
• [18:35] Measuring the long-term return on free samples
• [20:07] Sponsor: Electric Eye
• [21:16] Thinking creatively when marketing funds run dry 
• [22:48] Callouts
• [22:58] Owning customer relationships through websites 

Resources:

• Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube
• Wear your vitamins mybarriere.com/ 
• Follow Cleo Davis-Urman linkedin.com/in/cleo-davis-urman-91928322/ 
• Get your free demo klaviyo.com/honest
• Book a demo today at intelligems.io/
• Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect

If you’re enjoying the show, we’d love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Transcript

Chase Clymer

You're giving it away for free. 

Cleo Davis-Urman

You're giving it away for free. And it is a cost. But I always think of it as I would prefer to eat the cost of a free product than necessarily pay a fee to somebody without that product component. The product will do its job. All we have to do is get it to the person. And when they try it, the product speaks for itself.

Chase Clymer

Honest Ecommerce is a weekly podcast where we interview direct-to-consumer brand founders and leaders to find out what it takes to start, grow and scale an online business today. 

Hey everybody, welcome back to another episode of Honest Ecommerce. Today, I'm welcoming to the show the CEO and co-founder of Barrière, Cleo Davis-Urman. She is the driving force behind the viral wearable vitamin brand who has led it from a successful DTC company to an omnichannel powerhouse. Cleo, welcome to the show. 

Cleo Davis-Urman

Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here. 

Chase Clymer

I'm excited to chat. So for uh listeners that are unfamiliar with Barrière, could you quickly talk about the types of products you're bringing to market over there? 

Cleo Davis-Urman

Yeah. So Barrière, we produce a wearable vitamin patch for those with the video. I'm showing one right now. And these are transdermal vitamin patches that look like stickers or temporary tattoos but deliver powerful blends of vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants directly into the bloodstream. With the goal of building self-care routines that stick, pun intended. 

Chase Clymer

That's amazing. And I love meeting new entrepreneurs with new innovative ideas. Every once in a while, “I go, that's just such a good idea.” So that's what I'm feeling when I first learned about this brand. 

Cleo Davis-Urman

Thank you. No, mean, the vitamin aisle hasn't really been disrupted in quite some time. And that's even if you consider something like a gummy innovation. So I'm always excited when people look at our product like, “Why hasn't that existed before?” Because that's exactly what we were hoping to achieve. 

Chase Clymer

Oh, yeah, absolutely. So I guess, take me back in time. Where did the idea for this new approach to taking vitamins come from? 

Cleo Davis-Urman

Yeah. So it actually came from my own personal wellness journey. About 4 years ago, I was diagnosed as dangerously deficient in iron, B12 and vitamin D. Despite having taken capsules with those ingredients in a vitamin for years. That was the first time that my doctor explained to me that not all vitamins are created equal and that so much of the ingredients in a traditional supplement gets broken down in your digestive tract. 

So I was spending time every week going to the doctor to get injections and infusions to get my levels up. And once they were up, I was looking for a way to maintain them. And that's when I first learned about transdermal vitamin patches. They're very common in healthcare and medical settings. 

They're also common in nicotine cessation patches, estrogen patches. They've been around since the 70s, but there hasn't really been a big trend in the consumer space. The products seemed like a huge solution for me, but they didn't tick all of the boxes. They were bulky. They caused skin irritation. They really felt like a medical device. 

And I knew it wasn't a product that I would be excited about using every day. And that's really where the idea for Barrière was born. Can we take all of the positives of this innovative and proven delivery method, remove all of the negatives and really think about what a customer would be looking for in a product like this? And so that's what we spend years doing.

Chase Clymer

Forgive me if you mentioned this, what year did you guys start really focusing on exploring the marketability and the viability of this as a consumer product

Cleo Davis-Urman

So in 2021 was really when the research and development phase of this started. And then by November of 2023, we had a website and a beta version of the product available for sale, knowing that we were going to want to iterate with consumer feedback in mind. So it was about 2 years of research, development, and testing to get the initial product to market. And then from there, we iterated and iterated until we had what you see today. 

Chase Clymer

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With vitamins, was there an approval process and some hoops you had to jump through with the government as well? 

Cleo Davis-Urman

So there were hoops, but they were not dictated by the government. They were our own standards. In the US government, the US government doesn't regulate supplements. So FDA has requirements around labeling but not production. That was a huge red flag to me. And so we produce our products in a medical lab in the UK. There are more rigorous testing standards, certifications required. 

It's MHRA uh regulated. it's just something that I think we [need]. If we're expecting customers to trust us, I think we really had to start with the highest production quality and standards that we could hold ourselves to. And so it did take a little bit longer and it was probably more expensive to develop and get the product to where it needs to be. But it's a better product for it. 

Chase Clymer

Absolutely. And how did you test the viability of a product like this in the market? Were you doing surveys? How did you validate that this was something to invest more time and energy and potentially fundraise too. 

Cleo Davis-Urman

Yeah. So at the end of 2023, we had something that we felt really good about, but we didn't know if there was a customer for it. We anticipated that many people like myself were frustrated with the solutions that were available on the market. They were looking for things that were more convenient that felt like they didn't have to change their entire lifestyle to sustain that behavior. 

People are tired of taking pills. There was just a lot of frustration. So from a utility standpoint, I thought that there was an opportunity with this product to solve a lot of those problems. I also saw that there was this big trend thanks to brands like Starface and other patches that are not vitamin or transdermal patches. 

But that really started to come out and people started to embrace wearing these products for wellness, whether it was a patch to cover up your pimples, an Oura ring to track your sleep. And so it just felt like the market was ready. But we weren't sure. And the best way to know is to ask the customers themselves. So we put four products up on our website and we gathered information.

We monitored every question, pain point, suggestion, piece of feedback. We followed up the surveys and offered customers free products for their responses. We stood in grocery aisles and gave things out. We just wanted to get as much feedback as possible. And then from there, we iterated and had enough proof of concept to go to potential investors and retail partners saying, “There's something here and do you want to help us grow? 

Chase Clymer

Absolutely. Was there anything when you were learning from customers and potential customers about the product that was surprising to you that really helped shape what it became today? 

Cleo Davis-Urman

Oh, 100%. I would say one of the biggest pieces of valuable feedback that we received early on was don't underestimate the customer. So we were formulating for customers that we thought didn't necessarily know what they needed. They didn't have a blood panel. They didn't necessarily know all the vitamins that they needed, but they were more focused on a benefit. 

So we created these multivitamins that would have six to eight ingredients inside and would help you achieve an overall goal. Let's say immunity or something. But customers are so discerning and knowledgeable. They know that they need 200 mcg's of vitamin D. They're looking for biotin, they're looking for targeted support. 

And so we quickly got back with the lab and put out single ingredient mini targeted patches that have the daily recommended dose of these specific ingredients. Because customers really want to feel empowered to create their own stack, their own routine based on their needs. They don't necessarily want a one-size-fits-all multivitamin. 

So we quickly expanded the assortment to really be flexible and empower customers to meet them wherever they are in their wellness journey. And to evolve with them as their needs changed. And so don't ever underestimate the customer and their knowledge about when it comes to their health and wellness because one-size-fits-all isn't going to work in 2026 for sure. 

Chase Clymer

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As I led the episode with, at a certain point along the journey, you guys went viral. So can we talk about how social media has played a part in the growth of the business? 

Cleo Davis-Urman

Yeah. So I think one of the really unique parts of our brand and the real differentiator with our product is the visual component. Most supplements, as you can imagine, you ingest them. There's no visual nature. There's no community around the product itself. 

And so what's really easy for us to spark conversation, somebody sees the patch, they're like, “Oh, what's that? Is that a tattoo?”

And so our customers are immediately elevated to brand ambassadors that can share the message and more about the brand. And so we've tried to leverage social media in a way that mimics that behavior. So seeding the product out, because even if people weren't talking about it, if they were wearing it, it was captured as a part of their routine. And that's almost even a better endorsement than something where someone is explicitly talking about your product. 

So it started with seating and education and really just leveraging communities to learn, share information, what are the biggest pain points in their wellness routine, what kinds of things are they using in their lives. And that community has become the sounding board for everything that we do. And that same community has also become our biggest source of information sharing and network effects and promoting the brand in their day-to-day lives. 

So social media has really just been a great way for us to echo what we try to do in person or to capture that virality of what a patch can spark in real life. 

Chase Clymer

You mentioned a few times now, product seeding. And I want to talk a little bit about that for some of the younger entrepreneurs listening to the show. What is that? And how did it help you? 

Cleo Davis-Urman

Yeah. So product seeding can look like a number of different things. But essentially, it's just getting the product out there into the hands of a desired target customer. And so that can be sending products out to influencers or potential customers. It can be standing in a grocery aisle and giving people products. It can be partnering with like-minded brands just to get that product. 

Chase Clymer

And this is-you're giving it away for free. 

Cleo Davis-Urman

You're giving it away for free. And it is a cost. But I always think of it as... I would prefer to eat the cost of a free product than necessarily pay a fee to somebody without that product component. The product will do its job. All we have to do is get it to the person. And when they try it, the product speaks for itself. 

When you're confident in your product, there's nothing better that you can do than to just get the product in the hands of people who might be willing to use it. And it doesn't have to be influencers. And it doesn't have to be this big fancy, PR package. It can be samples in doctor's offices, in our case, or gyms and studios, places where people are more likely to be thinking of their health and wellness. 

And it's just leaving them there, like amenities. Just finding the right moments where someone might be thinking about how they want to improve their own health and wellness routine. And so seeding, when it's done strategically, can be the most effective way to sell your product and generate awareness because there's no better way to know if something works or if it's going to work for you than to try it yourself. 

Chase Clymer

If you would like to guesstimate how much product do you think you've given away in that effort? Either total units or dollars? 

Cleo Davis-Urman

In terms of total units, I could estimate at this point probably over 100,000 products over the course of 4 years. Yeah, I would say so. 

Chase Clymer

And what has that done for the awareness and the growth and the sales of the business on the return? 

Cleo Davis-Urman

That is a return on investment. It's hard to quantify, but I believe it's one of the more valuable. And again, they're not all full-size products and samples are sometimes just one or two patches. But the amount of first time customers that have come to us from various sampling initiatives, those customers’ lifetime values are some of the strongest LTVs that we have. 

And people still write in, “I first saw this product at Happier Grocery. Somebody was, somebody met me, was handing out free samples and I've been a subscriber ever since. So I think that when you can get the product to the right people. And even better, get the product to the right people and educate them in that moment, whether that's in person or digitally. That's more powerful than something that's maybe just a compelling marketing hub.

Chase Clymer

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In this day and age, a lot of folks think that the only way to scale and the only way to grow is through paid ads, which is only getting more and more expensive. And I really like to highlight how if you've got a product where you can afford to seed it, obviously, this doesn't work if you've got $5,000 couches. 

Cleo Davis-Urman

Sure. 

Chase Clymer

But when it is something that you can afford to seed, this is such a viable growth strategy. 

Cleo Davis-Urman

And that's such a good point, Chase, because I want to be clear. When we launched, we had no money. We had a product. So it wasn't like, do we do paid ads? Or do we seed? There is no way to generate awareness for this brand other than to give away products. Obviously, a lot of brands have products that are more expensive. Our products are quite accessible. Our hero products sell for $12.98 for 36 patches. 

Obviously, the economics made sense. I would say to anyone, think about what your answer to that could be? What is the moment that you can create or the piece of your brand identity that you can share more widely? And see if that's something that can be replicated. Because I really do think it resonates and converts more than some of the more run-of-the-mill marketing practices.

Chase Clymer

Hey everybody, just a quick reminder, please like this video and subscribe if you haven't. We're releasing interviews like this every week. So don't miss out. Now back to the interview. 

Now, is there anything I didn't ask you about that you think would resonate with our audience? 

Cleo Davis-Urman

Yeah. So there are 3 areas that we see the biggest opportunity for growth in the next year or two. The first is retail expansion. For us specifically, that means going deeper with the existing partners. We started really small with sort of one partner across a number of different categories. Like a hospitality partner, a big box, pharmaceuticals, etc. 

So we really want to expand organically with those and grow those partnerships. And then continue to be really thoughtful about where we're showing up next. So where are there opportunities in the retail space for us to have a reason to exist and where we can really like to tell that story and with that partner. 

The second is international expansion. I think this is a huge opportunity. The demand for non-pill wellness solutions is universal. But it's specifically big and resonates in markets that are a little bit ahead of the curve when it comes to their health and wellness. And they're a little bit more sophisticated when it comes to supplements and regulation. So for us, we see a ton of opportunities there. 

And then third is doubling down on direct-to-consumer. We’ve seen tremendous growth with our own website. It's the only place where you can shop all of our products. Where you can get the full storytelling and where we can own that relationship with the customer. And so we are going to be investing in a web redesign and some more optimized subscribe and save offerings. 

And really just trying to make our website the digital version of how we would show up in the real world when we do. But really, all of those things, all three of those things, underscore the overall uh goal of just meeting customers wherever they are and keeping those experiences intentional and educational and fun. 

Chase Clymer

Yeah. And I love it when someone gives me an amazing transition. So speaking of the website.

Cleo Davis-Urman

Yeah.

Chase Clymer

Where should people go if they want to check out the product? uh Potentially buy something for themselves. 

Cleo Davis-Urman

Yeah. So it's www.myBarrière.com. And that's B-A-R-R-I-E-R-E. And if you do come check us out, the first time you come to our website, you will get a welcome discount code. And hopefully that inspires you to try a product. There's also a ton of information on who we are and how our products are made. And there's a ton of great formulas, but also great prints. And I think that that's just one thing that I'd love to touch on. 

We have so many resources when it comes to our health and wellness routines, but so much of them lack joy. And this is a product I'm really proud of for all of the reasons that we've talked about. But also because it sparks joy. And sometimes you just want to look at your hand and know that you're doing what's good for you. But that is also something that you can look good while doing. 

Chase Clymer

Yeah. And this is definitely to tell all the listeners out there to maybe check out the YouTube channel. Yeah, there's a lot of really, really cool designs here. From the Vitamin C sun to smiley faces for the B12 patches, all sorts of fun designs all over these patches. Cleo, I can't thank you enough for coming on the show today and sharing all those amazing insights. 

Cleo Davis-Urman

Thanks, Chase.