Exclusive: Kendall Jenner and Odell Beckham Jr. Announce Partnership With MOON The superstar BIZ Experiencess discuss their roles in the explosive growth of this premium oral-care beauty brand.
By Dan Bova
Innovative oral beauty brand MOON announced a long-term partnership with Los Angeles Rams wide receiver and BIZ Experiences Odell Beckham Jr., with plans to expand its premium assortment of design-led products and expand its reach to men. Beckham joins mega-influencer Kendall Jenner as a MOON stakeholder and ambassador of the oral-care industry disruptor.
BIZ Experiences connected with Beckham, Jenner and MOON founder Shaun Neff about the thinking and tactics that go into launching and growing a category-defining brand.
What attracted you to MOON?
Odell Beckham Jr: The MOON partnership happened pretty organically. The product and packaging design drew me in, and I tried the products just to see what they were like and was into them. I reached out to Kendall to see what MOON was all about and she connected me with Shaun. After speaking with him I knew I wanted to be part of the company. When I was a kid, taking care of your teeth wasn't really "cool." It was just something you did. MOON changed the game in that sense.
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Kendall Jenner: Being able to personally use a product or service on a routine basis is really important to me. The three must-haves for me are: Am I passionate about it? Do I believe in it? And is this something I would personally use in my day-to-day? I have to check one of those off my list in order to get behind something. I love how MOON wasn't confined to the oral care space and crossed this bridge between oral care and beauty. Not only did the products look good on your countertop, but they never compromised on what ingredients make up good oral care. MOON is modern, innovative and fun!
How do you communicate to customers that this is something you legitimately care about as opposed to something you just slapped your name on?
OBJ: I don't put my name on things just for the sake of putting my name on them. Authenticity is always the key. For me to be associated with a brand or company, my team and I do the research, meet with the C-Suite executives and CEOs and decide from there if it makes sense for me. If my name is on it, you can guarantee it's something I legitimately support and am involved with on a larger scale.
How are you able to successfully split time between your "day job" and outside business pursuits like MOON?
OBJ: Football is my life and is always my priority, but I also have a true passion for BIZ Experiencesship. Learning about and investing in different companies and brands I believe in and use is a big part of my life outside of football.
What was the vision behind MOON's deeper focus on the male audience?
Shaun Neff: We created MOON for all humans. Kendall has been such an amazing partner and voice for the female audience. We always knew we were going to bring on a male to represent MOON, and as a brand, we have been so selective to find someone that fits our DNA. Odell was the perfect fit. The roadmap for MOON is to continue to innovate and bring out new aesthetically driven and well-designed products to the oral care market. We created the oral beauty space, and our goal is to dominate it.
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How do you test your marketing campaigns? Or do you just go by your gut?
SN: I live and die by trusting my gut. I have never done a focus group or anything similar. I am always willing to listen, get feedback and look at the data, but anything from a creative standpoint comes from intuition and learned instinct.
What are your favorite MOON products?
KJ: My Teeth Whitening Pen goes with me almost everywhere for a quick whitening touch-up. I also love using the Stain Prevention Teeth Wipes to keep my teeth free of stains. It's such an underrated product that everyone should have in their bag. The Gel Fluoride-Free Toothpaste is another favorite; it's my AM and PM toothpaste of choice.
OBJ: I'm excited to introduce a multi-sonic electric toothbrush that I'll debut with the brand and is a new product category for MOON. I'm also hoping to put my own spin on some of the existing products and create some custom things.
What is your best advice for BIZ Experiencess just starting out?
SN: First find something you love, and for me, I have always lived by three words: dream, believe, hustle. Think big and dream up something that doesn't exist. Believe in yourself and seriously hustle to bring that dream to market and create a successful business. Within that process you need to make sure you have a great product and an amazing trusted team and tell a great story.
You've worked with some of the hugest names in culture and business. What is the thing inside of incredibly successful people that separates them?
SN: Pure hustle. Whoever is the hungriest, willing to push the hardest and make the right decisions at the right time will give themselves the best chance at winning.
