The Tamesis
“I actually mentioned Charli XCX in the first brand strategy presentation I did at Nothing as the embodiment of rebellious creativity,” Charlie Smith, Nothing’s chief brand officer, admitted on Zoom a few weeks ago. It took a lot of back and forth to negotiate a story about two people named Charli(e) and a company called Nothing, but today, Fashion It can be revealed that Charli XCX has joined the tech hardware brand as its first global ambassador and investor.
“When I create, I’m always thinking about how my work will be experienced in the world, and I love the sound quality and design of the Nothing headphones. Its ethos of prioritizing creativity is exactly what I look for when working with partners,” Charli XCX said of the partnership.
Her song “Rock Music” was released last Friday and is the first single from the expected follow-up album to “Brat” in 2024. Generating over $22.5 million in media impact value (MIV) in its first month of release, Brat became synonymous with an imperfect aesthetic that was at odds with the scourge of quiet luxury. It also names the entire season. Sure enough, expectations for her follow-up are high, critics are already confused as to what the lyrics mean, and the hype machine is in full gear.
All of which makes the “Nothing” news a well-timed coup for the company. A global campaign starring Charli XCX also launches today. In the images and accompanying video, shot by her long-time collaborator, photographer Aidan Zamiri, the singer wears Nothing headphones (a), which boast 135 hours of playtime without needing to be charged.
“We wanted it to feel intimate, like the world was spinning around me and I was just focused on the music I’d been listening to for years. It was a very ‘in my own world’ vibe, which is exactly how I feel when I’m making stuff,” Charli XCX said of the concept behind the shoot. “The shoot was fun because I was shooting with all my friends. Aidan Zamiri shot everything, Chris Horan style, Imogene [Strauss, creative director] There…those are my creative friends. “
This isn’t the first time a celebrity ambassador has signed on as a brand investor. Just last month, Timothée Chalamet approached watchmaker Urban Jürgensen for the first time as a collector, becoming a minority partner. But choosing to spend more than just a day taking photos demonstrates the need for deeper engagement on all fronts.
“Charlie wanted a real stake in the projects we were building, and we also wanted a partner with real commitment. Anyone with a vested interest in the company would work together to improve the performance of the company,” explains Smith. “No one was willing to be super collaborative with me and let me show off how I interact with music in my own way,” Charli XCX added.
