Episode 338: A Branded Product Agency Philosophy with Francis Pierrel, LR Paris

LR Paris is a globally connected, full-service branded product agency operating in over 45 countries with clients that include American Express, H&M, Tom Ford, Ritz Carlton, Marriott and The White House. 

Unlike traditional agencies, they don't have a catalog or stock but operate as the "brand behind the brands," functioning like a "private chef," tailoring solutions to meet the specific needs of their clients through product creation.

Drawing on three generations of experience, LR Paris specializes in creating meaningful, high-quality branded products and packaging worth keeping. They focus on understanding each client's unique story to create exchanges that resonate long after the initial unboxing. LR Paris works with leaders across various industries, cross-pollinating a wide range of skills handling everything from concept to creation, including design, branding, sourcing, manufacturing, fulfillment, and logistics for some of the world’s biggest brands. 

Their goal is to transform promotional product exchanges into tangible lasting connections by applying a B2C level of excellence to the promotional B2B marketing industry.

Francis Pierrel is a seasoned fashion and retail executive with over 30 years of experience in driving brand development, product innovation, and marketing strategies across international markets. He is known for his unique blend of expertise in strategy, merchandising, production, marketing, and P&L oversight. Throughout his career, Francis has held pivotal CEO and Brand President roles at some of the world’s most iconic fashion brands, including Ralph Lauren, Club Monaco, Lacoste, Diesel, and Urban Outfitters. He is a visionary leader who excels in fostering cross-functional collaboration, optimizing operations, and driving growth with a global perspective. 

Today, Francis is a Partner and CEO at LR Paris, leading the third-generation branded product agency through a period of accelerated growth. He believes in the power of branded products that are worth keeping and holds an MBA and degrees in European Business Administration and Marketing.

We chat with Francis about:

• LR Paris's Unique Approach: The company operates as an agency that acts as a "brand behind the brands", offering tailored solutions rather than a standard catalog. They see themselves as a "private chef" for brands, solving their needs through custom-designed products and packaging.
• End-to-End Service: Their services encompass the entire process, from the initial concept and engineering of packaging to the critical aspects of fulfillment, logistics, and data management, especially for impactful unboxing experiences for influencers.
• Creating Products of Value: A core philosophy is to create merchandise that clients' customers will want to keep and value, moving away from disposable "swag" and to create an "emotional dollar value” for the branded products they produce.
• Deep Research and Long-Term Partnerships: LR Paris invests heavily in understanding their clients' needs, using tools like mood boards for visualization and aiming for long-term relationships rather than one-off projects.

We also chat with Francis about his background and his work with the world’s most respected fashion brands, including Maison Margiela and Ralph Lauren. Tune in!