How Hayley Williams Built Her Hair Empire

Alison Madsen | October 26, 2021 at 8:00 AM

The Singer-Turned-Entrepreneur

You may be familiar with the name “Hayley Williams.” She’s well known in the pop-punk community for her incredibly powerful voice, oh and for being the frontwoman of the majorly successful band Paramore. But did you know she’s also the co-owner and creator of her very own hair-dye company?

Williams is not only recognizable by music lovers, but by the beauty industry as well. She's celebrated for her ever-changing, crazy hair colors and unique fashion looks. Williams' personal style might be just as acclaimed as her singing career. In this blog, Hollywood Branded will explain how Hayley Williams was able to turn her signature look into her own business, and how her hair empire came to be.

How Hayley Williams Built Her Hair Empire

Turning Yourself Into A Brand

Nowadays, celebrities are not just people, but a brand. The Kardashians are a perfect example of celebs who have been able to turn their own lives into a brand. By promoting luxury items, waist trainers, make-up, detox teas, etc., the Kardashians have been able to capitalize off of their public image. Hayley Williams of the band Paramore, while a lot more lowkey and private, has also been able to turn her style into a brand. Williams has been in the limelight since she was 16, after the release of the debut album Brand New Eyes. She was known as the small-but-mighty frontwoman with a killer voice and amazing stage presence; what possibly stood out, even more, was her fiery box-dyed orange hair.

Source: Getty Images

The Start Of Good Dye Young

Williams' hair became a part of her signature look. While many people may have not known who she was by name, they were able to easily recognize who she was because of her hair. It was a staple, and her look soon became popular in the pop-punk scene. Fans began emulating Williams’ unique hairstyle and it seemed that by 2010 you could not have orange hair without being compared to the Paramore singer.

Not only was Hayley’s hair unique and recognizable, but her style as well. As her career went on, she was known for often changing up her makeup, hair, and clothes. Williams never followed trends but started them. So, it was only a matter of time she would start her own company that prioritized inclusivity and uniqueness, as well as self-expression. Williams collaborated with makeup and hairstylist, as well as her long-term friend, Brian O’Connor, to create “Good Dye Young." Good Dye Young is a vegan and cruelty-free hair dye company that sells vibrant semi-permanent colors, hair makeup, and shampoos and conditioners. As stated on the company’s website, Good Dye Young is “an extension of their shared passion to provide a brand that breaks down that wall of just being a company, and creating a community you can be a part of, empowered by tools that encourage your freedom of self-expression.”

hayley williams good dye young

Source: @gooddyeyoung on Instagram

The Community Of GDY

Good Dye Young isn’t just a hair dye company, but a community created by Williams and O’Connor. Because Williams already had fanbase, she knew the importance of connecting with her audience. Also, because she had loyal fans with a shared love for hair dye, the company was able to garner up lots of social media attention. The mission statement on the Good Dye website states “GDY cultivates a safe and inclusive community that values vibrant self-expression and creativity." This is clearly a brand that cares about its customers.

It makes a lot of sense that the GDY brand prioritizes community so much. Williams has made it a point to connect and talk with her fans throughout her career. While many famous singers have a team of people running their social media pages and don’t actively interact with fans, Williams has always emphasized the importance of appreciating your fanbase. She likes fan tweets, reposts fans on her Instagram stories, shares fan covers of her songs, and is constantly talking to fans on Twitter. Williams has been so well-received by her audience because she comes across as genuine and down to earth. So for her to make her hair dye company so interactive and transparent does not come as a surprise to me.

Fun And Collaborative Marketing

A big part of the GDy brand is inclusvity. The company uses models of all races, genders, and sizes. This sends a message to customers that the GDY is truly for everyone. The GDY Instagram page often shares photos of real customers using their hair dye, as well as reposts fans on their stories. The marketing team responds to Instagram comments and interacts with their followers. There are often fun polls on GDY’s story, asking followers to chose their favorite hair dye colors. By doing something as simple as Instagram poll, the GDY team is able to connect with their following and determine which hair colors are in high demand. The company’s Twitter page is also very active and always sharing the latest news about future releases. The company even has a blog called Strands, where both the GDY team and fans publish content on hair styling tips, tutorials, and occasionally a link to a curated playlist. The marketing is fun and expressive, the brand doesn’t take itself too seriously which gives it a more personal feel. I mean, who thought that hair dye could feel so personal? I certainly didn’t, until I started to follow GDY on social media platforms.

Despite 2020 being a hard year due to Covid-19, Good Dye Young was able to thrive through new marketing techniques. GDY was able to increase their monthly e-commerce revenue by 305%. The team’s 2020 goal was to send more targeted relevant messages to their customers. The company had always used email as a marketing strategy to tell customers about sales and promotions, but it quickly became clear to the marketing team that their strategy needed to evolve. The team wanted to make their emails more fun and exciting, so customers would actually open and consume the content. Marketing Manager Jackie Meyers began to use resources on Mailchimp, a marketing automation platform and email marketing service, to learn about segmentation, tags, and how to effectively reach out to customers. When a customer purchases a Good Dye Young product, their information gets added to Mailchimp automatically and is able to predict if they are likely to buy again. If a customer hasn’t purchased a product in a while, Meyers can send them exclusive coupons or promotions to encourage them to buy again. By adding segementation to their marketing strategy, GDY is able to connect with their customers in a more significant way.

Source: Lindsey Byrnes

Hayley Williams Is An Innovator

Ultimately, throughout Hayley Williams’s career she has proven not only to be an entrepreneur, but an innovator. She could have easily collaborated with a hair dye company and just slap her name on a bottle. But hair is something Williams has clearly always been so passionate about, and this passion is the driving force behind the success of her own brand. She leveraged her star-power, sure, but she has shown fans for years this is something she is serious about. Williams’ drive and passion shines through her work, it is obvious she deeply cares for her brand. Her team is small, but she works closely with them, providing them with the tools they need. Williams has been marketing herself as an artist for years, and has used the experience and knowledge she gained to start her own successful small business.