Dyson Airwrap Shortage
High-End Marketing Strategy Works
Advice: Don't Waste Money
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] "Carrot!" As soon as the notification from the secondhand trading platform Danggeun Market rang, A, a worker in their 20s, hurriedly turned on their smartphone. A has been busy searching for secondhand listings of Dyson's recently released hair styling device, the Airwrap. With news that the Airwrap's price will increase starting in March, more people are looking for the product, making the competition for refurbished items, which are cheaper than new products, even fiercer. However, refurbished products are not significantly cheaper than the prices at shopping malls. Currently, refurbished products sold at some shopping malls for 399,000 KRW are being sold on secondhand trading platforms with a premium of 100,000 KRW. After several failed attempts, A decided to check the home shopping broadcast schedule to get the Airwrap by any means.
The Chanel of Hair Irons
Dyson's Airwrap, launched in 2018, has gained sensational popularity not only in Korea but worldwide. The Airwrap is a hair styling device that Dyson, known primarily for vacuum cleaners and air purifiers, developed by integrating its engine technology. It is praised for its ability to recreate salon-style styling without heat damage.
The Airwrap is famous not only for its performance but also for its high price. When it was first released, it cost 549,000 KRW, but now it approaches 700,000 KRW, earning it the nickname "the Chanel of hair irons." Despite continuous price increases, why does the Airwrap remain so popular?
The Victory of Dyson's Marketing
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 20th (local time) that the rarity and high price of the Airwrap make users feel a sense of elevated status similar to using luxury brands. Dyson's successful high-end marketing of the Airwrap provides users with a sense of pride and luxury. WSJ explained that the Airwrap storage case, personalized with customers' initials, has become an item that brightens women's dressing tables. Fashion industry influencer Anneris Days said, "Just looking at the design and packaging of the Airwrap makes me feel good, like a luxury handbag," and praised Dyson for succeeding in luxury marketing of the Airwrap.
There is also an analysis that the Airwrap has come to hold meaning beyond a simple hair styling device, becoming a beauty content phenomenon. In Western countries, "Airwrap" is even used as a verb meaning to create wavy hairstyles, generating numerous beauty-related derivative contents.
On the video-sharing platform TikTok, videos related to the Airwrap have been viewed over 4 billion times. On TV and YouTube, famous influencers have spread videos using the Airwrap. Jonathan Van Ness, a popular hairstylist appearing on the American reality TV show Queer Eye, showcased styling with the Airwrap multiple times on the show, attracting viewers' attention.
"Don't Waste Your Money"
Besides marketing and content functions, the device's excellent performance is another reason the Airwrap is gaining attention. Dyson helps users dry hair and create wave styling without heat by using its core technology, the Coanda effect. The Coanda effect is a phenomenon where air flows along the surface of an object instead of in a straight line when in contact with it, drawing in surrounding air and hair. The quiet engine noise despite the excellent performance is also cited as a strength of the Airwrap.
On the other hand, some criticize Dyson for selling the product at an excessively high price due to luxury marketing. Bethenny Frankel, a businesswoman and talk show host who appeared on the American reality show The Real Housewives of New York, produced a video comparing the performance of competitor products and the Airwrap, criticizing that "Dyson's brush is too hard" and saying, "(Considering the performance) this price level is not justified. Don't waste your money."
Earlier, Dyson raised the price of the Airwrap twice last year, in January and July, by about 100,000 KRW each time. Starting next month, the product will be sold at 749,000 KRW, a 50,000 KRW increase.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
