Yankee Candle: We are not what we do
The aim of this article is to highlight that a business cannot be reduced to a simple “we want leads/we want to sell” or “we sell/we do this” – such an approach is far too simplistic and, in the long run, harmful. We believe there is nothing we can do to change things, when in reality it is we who lack the courage to change our perspective.
BRANDING
@persona.fra
11/3/20258 min read
To truly understand how a company is perceived, we need to look at how consumer habits are changing and how consumers view certain products and services. Because all of this has a huge impact on a brand’s reputation in the market.
And that is precisely why companies today no longer simply ‘do something’ and leave it at that: they tell stories, crafting narratives designed to shape consumers’ perceptions of their products. In short, it is a vicious circle that leads to constant change over time. And today we see this very clearly with Yankee Candle.
This vicious circle generates changes that are as inevitable as they are necessary. It pushes companies to constantly question themselves, to reflect on their consumers and to offer them what truly interests them, based on their current habits, needs and preferences.
Let’s start by understanding the chain of cause and effect that led to certain events and outcomes, which today seem natural to us and have led us to believe that things could not have turned out any other way. But in reality, at the time, nothing in the candle market was a foregone conclusion.
The New York Times (1) explains this well in an article from the mid-1980s, which sought to analyse the scenario emerging at that time. Whilst the number of companies producing lighting candles plummeted from 275 to just 100 (a 64% drop), decorative scented candles were beginning their rise.
A new concept was born, promoted by a handful of companies that were riding the wave that had only just begun:
"Candles are no longer seen as a practical item for lighting, but as a decorative feature for the home"
After all, it was worth it for companies: on the one hand, there was a market in freefall; on the other, a more lucrative market, given that people were spending more on average on home furnishings, to create atmosphere and to scent their homes in a new and aesthetically appealing way. This trend continues to grow after forty years (2), with 75% of consumers now prioritising fragrance, confirming a transformation (3) that is now a success, but which during its ten-year transition was by no means a foregone conclusion. It was not known whether the idea would prove successful or not.
All this depends on the idea we associate with it. If a company conveys the same idea that I have, then I will feel an affinity with what it produces, because I will take an interest in what it does.
If you are lucky enough to have a friend who knows the best restaurant in Rome whilst you are there on holiday, you wouldn’t rely on an online search but on their opinion, unless it’s not the right time to ask or because it’s not relevant to us. Word of mouth remains the most effective method, not because we trust people, but because I have a connection with that person that makes me take an interest, change my opinion and influence my choices. It is about the trust we place in certain people, and this trust can also be applied to certain brands.
New times, old habits
The ideal company
Yankee Candle describes itself as a company that stands out for its fragrances and the production of premium candles (4).
Let’s start with some consumer data – the company’s potential target market – and try to understand how, based on their habits, we can come up with an idea that will encourage them to embrace what the brand is trying to convey, regardless of its products or services:
Today’s consumers explicitly value comfort, well-being and emotional benefits more than mere utility: post-pandemic research shows that 61% of women have invested in more casual clothing, with a 44% reduction in formal wear in their wardrobes (23). This trend extends beyond clothing to preferences in fragrances (58% appreciate perfumes more since the pandemic) and spending on wellbeing (45% of employers are increasing budgets dedicated to workplace wellbeing) (24);
Focus on premium within growing categories. The best opportunities lie in premium segments: niche fragrances (14.5% CAGR), luxury spa services (54% market share) (10) and high-end loungewear (25). Premium positioning ensures higher margins whilst simultaneously building brand value for future expansion into new sectors;
Building omnichannel distribution, with an initial focus on digital. Every category is seeing an acceleration in online adoption, but physical experiences remain important for premium positioning (16). Successful strategies combine digital marketing and transactions with experiential retail and customer service.
This information gives us a better understanding of the sector in which Yankee Candle operates. Please note: we are not talking about the product itself, but about the consumers who are attracted to what the company offers in terms of its brand and how it positions itself in the market. So we are not talking about candles or fragrances, but about comfort. As always, we start with the data and then develop three different options for a sector (that of comfort) which is undergoing constant change, and which a company like Yankee Candle should begin to take into account for the near future.
The market for comfortable clothing for those working from home has boomed globally, growing from $16.19 billion in 2019 to an estimated $63–67 billion by 2024, driven by fundamental shifts in work culture following the introduction of hybrid and remote working, and by the priority placed on comfort for those who spend a lot of time at home (5, 6).
Sales of clothing specifically designed for the home in the UK rose by 1,303% during the pandemic, signalling an underlying trend that reflects behavioural changes which remain in place today;
In the United States, where around 22.5 million people are expected to work from home by 2024 (7), compound annual growth rates (CAGR) of between 5.5% and 10.4% are forecast for homewear by 2032, depending on the category, ranging from underwear to casual wear (6).
It would be interesting to explore further whether there is a correlation between: ‘how comfortable a piece of loungewear is’ and ‘how fragrant it is’. If the consumer were to think ‘if what I’m wearing smells nice, then it’s comfortable’, this would be a decisive factor in the consumer’s choice.
We have already seen that those who buy candles consider fragrances to be very important in their choice (3). Would these same people also be willing to expand their wardrobe by wearing Yankee Candle-branded loungewear?
Or a detergent/fabric softener with the same fragrance they love on their favourite garments?
Comfortable clothing for those working from home
Spa and wellness centres are demonstrating resilience and growth.
The US market reached $22.5 billion in 2024 (8);
Whilst Europe accounts for $36.32 billion (36% of the global market share) (9).
Despite the severe disruption caused by COVID-19 (an overall revenue decline of -36.4% in 2020), the sector has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, driven by the growth of wellness tourism (27% faster than general tourism) (10) and the expansion of medical spas (CAGR of 13–15%) (11). This sector benefits from favourable demographic trends: ageing populations seeking preventive healthcare and millennials prioritising experiences and self-care.
How wonderful would it be in a spa, where people go to relax, to immerse your clients in the fragrances of Yankee Candle? You could work on two levels:
For employees increasingly seeking corporate benefits, having a space to relax rather than having to find one themselves, perhaps with various spas dotted around the world’s major business and tourist hubs, would be a strong incentive to stay with that company or choose it;
For elderly people who may use their sense of smell as their primary sense, capable of evoking memories from much further back in time than other senses. The aim would not be to visit a luxury spa, but to create genuine sensory experiences through their fragrances.
Try to imagine an apricot corner, a blueberry pool, a peach-coloured armchair as soft as the fruit itself, whilst I sip a juice and let myself be carried away by the scent of lavender as I receive a gentle scratch on my arms...
A spa for health-conscious people
Personalised fragrances show enormous potential to position themselves as ‘exclusive’ and diversify consumer choice:
The combined US-Europe market reached $28.1 billion in 2024 (12,13);
With particularly strong growth in niche segments (11.5–14.5% CAGR) (14,15) and men’s fragrances (8.94% CAGR) (16).
Although COVID-19 caused the global market to fall from $53 billion (2019) to $43.6 billion (2020) (17,18), the recovery has been vigorous, driven by the impact of social media, collaborations with celebrities (19) and fragrances designed for wardrobe staples among younger consumers (20). The shift towards artisanal and sustainable products (21) reflects the evolution of the candle industry from a commodity category (low-end) to a premium lifestyle sector (high-end).
Here we see a pattern: people are returning to their little luxuries and spending even more than before the pandemic. For example, in the tourism sector, the growth seen between 2020 and 2024 matches that observed from 1990 to 2020 (22), a resurgence suggesting that luxury is a necessity for those who have experienced it or for those who regret not having done so before, and fear they may never be able to experience it again.
This growth has been made possible by the new needs that have emerged during this period, by new means and methods of communication, and by the emerging niches that previously seemed impossible (such as men’s fragrances, which seemed irrelevant just a few years ago). A brand remains relevant if it manages to pick up on these changes.
Personalised fragrances tailored to the younger generation
Conclusions
There are other possibilities and ideas (probably endless), but since every article has to come to an end and make a point, we’ll leave it there for now. Duobu wasn’t founded as yet another company set to revolutionise the market overnight, but we told ourselves that we want to do what we enjoy, do it well, and improve little by little from the many mistakes we’ve made. As proof of this, we aim to provide content that can be useful for:
Businesses; to encourage them to improve their communication and think beyond simple ‘discounts’ or ‘budget increases’ to attract new customers;
Advertisers; who are currently paralysed by the constant changes in the marketing sector, and to give them a moment to breathe where they can find inspiration to improve their work and their ideas;
The curious; who deserve a prize for having made it this far and still being alive.
To conclude, companies are not simply the product or service they offer, but the result of a story that the brand tells and that the public perceives, with various outcomes:
If the idea is inconsistent, the public realises that what you do has no value, and even if you offer the best product on the market, no one can ignore the image you project;
If the idea aligns with consumers’ values, then regardless of the product, there will be a certain interest in what you do, because if you do something following a principle consistent with that of the consumer, then there will be affinity and a connection, regardless of the product, which will never be perfect for everyone, but is perfect for me.
The end! We hope we’ve provided some interesting food for thought for those who were looking for it
Sources
NY Times - A WHIFF OF HIGH TECH COMES TO CANDLMAKING
Chron - How Big Is the Candle Industry?
Verified Market Research (2024) - Global Candle Market Size And Forecast
Yankee Candle - About us
Verified Market Research (2024) - Global Sleepwear And Loungewear Market Size
Market Research Future (2025) - Loungewear Market Research Report
NY Times (2024) - Where Are People Working Remotely?
ISPA Foundation (2025) - ISPA report
Market US - Spa Industry Statistics 2025
GVR - Spa Services Market Size
Persistence (2025) - Medical Spa Market Size
Markets and Data - United States Fragrance Market Share
Expert Market Research - Europe Fragrances Market
Cognitive Market Research - Luxury Niche Perfume Market Report 2025 (Global Edition)
Business Research Insights (2025) - Luxury Niche Perfume forecast by 2033
Mordor Intelligence - Fragrances Market
Oberlo - Fragrances Market Size 2025
PR Newswire - Worldwide Fragrances and Perfumes Industry to 2027 - Impact of COVID-19 on the Market
U.S. Chamber of Commerce - Generation Z and Men Drive Fragrance Boom
Euromonitor International - Revamping Digital Engagement in Fragrances
McKinsey - Consumers care about sustainability
Freetour - Tourism recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic
Reports and Data - Loungewear Market By Material and forecast to 2034
Mordor Intelligence - Spa market size trend (2025 - 2030)
BR Insights - Luxury Niche Perfume Market Size (2024 - 2033)