When a beauty brand chooses to erase itself
Les points-clés en français au bas de l'article
British skincare brand Haeckels, known for its poetic and pioneering experiments, is now taking one of the boldest steps in branding: disappearing.
From Haeckels to “the company formerly known as Haeckels”
In late 2024, founder Dom Bridges announced the brand would step away from its original name due to the legacy of Ernst Haeckel – a 19th-century naturalist whose work is linked to scientific racism and social Darwinism.
Since then, the brand has opted for no formal name, referring to itself simply as “the company formerly known as Haeckels.” Instead of a logo, the most visible element on their site and packaging is a manifesto: “It’s about all of us.”
This isn’t just a rebrand. It’s a philosophical move: a brand choosing to decenter itself in favor of a collective narrative.
A new grammar of consumption
In early 2025, Haeckels introduced an innovative pricing strategy. For selected hero products like the Eco Marine Cream, consumers were invited to choose among four price points, from £21 to £66.
Each option was accompanied by a "transparency wheel" infographic, showing exactly how the money was distributed (ingredients, margins, mission support).
Here, purchasing becomes participation, not just in the product, but in the values of a brand on a mission to shift people from consumers to “citizens” and “collaborative, creative, caring creatures”
From Consumer to Citizen
Haeckels also asks customers to make a conscious pledge at checkout: how will they dispose of the packaging? Options include Reuse, Recycle, or Compost, with instructions for each.
This step turns the post-purchase moment into a micro-act of citizenship – closing the loop between intention and impact.
What This Tells Us
Haeckels isn’t just “sustainable.” It’s proposing something more radical:
What if beauty became a space for social experimentation?
From individual care to collective care, from brand identity to shared responsibility – this is a quiet revolution.
The Meaning Behind the Move:
Erasing its name, Haeckels makes its mission louder. It’s branding as ethical gesture — and a rare form of corporate humility.
To watch: Brands embracing discomfort, loosening control, and inviting co-creation.
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En français :
• La marque britannique de cosmétiques Haeckels a choisi d'effacer son nom pour des raisons éthiques, en prenant ses distances vis-à-vis du biologiste Ernst Haeckel (illustrateur remarquable mais aussi scientifique aux points de vue racistes et eugénistes)
• La marque, qui n'a pas pour l'heure de nouveau nom officiel, résume sa démarche et sa volonté de transformer les consommateurs en citoyens, dans un manifeste fort : "It's a about all of us"
• Elle notamment testé une tarification libre et transparente (avec diverses options parmi lesquelles choisir) et demande à ses clients en ligne de s'engager quant à la gestion des packs après l'utilisation des produits (réutiliser, recycler ou composter), emmenant chacun dans un mouvement beaucoup plus vaste et plus fort qu'un simple acte de consommation beauté