A Lonely Ghost Who Isn’t So Lonely
India Blue Severe grew up like many of us do. She fought with her siblings, attended church services on Sundays, and cheered for her high school’s football team under stadium lights. Although as she grew, she realized that the confines of her small, predominately Mormon, Utah town and the limitations it placed her under did not align with her dreams or goals. She decided to fight the norm by using social media to highlight her world travels and surrounded herself with friends who joined her in learning more about themselves along the way. People noticed and began to let her know that she was a lot less alone than she may have once thought.
India, more commonly known as Indy, created Lonely Ghost with her business partner Bronson Christensen. Bronson has successfully founded several businesses including People Water and Rise Festival. His passion for mental health advocacy and creating movements that inspire people tied in perfectly with Indy’s vision for a streetwear brand. Although Bronson was already involved with Indy’s business ventures, his guidance and support allowed the brand to evolve from its first form Indy the Label into something much more compelling. In Indy’s announcement about the brand change, she stated, “What I envision for this brand is way bigger than t-shirts and even ghosty lighters”. Lonely Ghost’s goal wasn’t just to sell clothes but to make customers feel as though they were being heard and seen by someone they had never met. This brand change was the distinguishing feature between every other influencer brand and Lonely Ghost. Through phrases like “I love you, say it back”, “Text me when you get home” and “This song reminds me of you” she has turned common blurbs into meaningful symbols of connectedness.
I found Indy when I was a freshman in high school. While juggling schoolwork, sports, family relationships, and the ups and downs of some of the most formative years of my life, I turned to Indy’s videos as an escape and an inspiration. She traveled with her best friends and made it clear that she could never really afford it. Her videos were beautiful, artful and made me feel something. She communicated stories that I could relate to, which made me feel less alone, and more a part of something. Even 8 years later, as I’m making my way through my senior year of college, I have found comfort in the messages Indy shares. My loyalty to her all this time results in a unique sense of belonging and pride. I feel like I’ve been a part of her journey and she’s been a part of mine, which is exactly what I believe makes her brand so successful.
Throughout my time at TCU learning about the ins and outs of public relations and advertising, I’ve recognized a pattern in the successes and failures of brands. A brand is just a brand unless it creates emotion. Why was Indy’s first clothing brand, Indy The Label, not as successful as Lonely Ghost? It was because the general consumer couldn’t relate to it. The clothing that Indy The Label sold didn’t include bold or meaningful statements and the brand only targeted Indy’s existing, loyal followers. Indy The Label didn’t make anyone feel anything, but Lonely Ghost does.
In addition to Lonely Ghost, visiting with the team of 6th Avenue Storytelling in Fort Worth, Texas opened my eyes to the importance of connecting with an audience. Jamey Ice, co-founder and marketing director at 6th Avenue Storytelling, has built his agency from the ground up, providing the Fort Worth community with accessible, affordable and quality advertising services. 6th Avenue Storytelling is on a mission to make starting and growing a small business easier than it’s ever been before. By supporting the small businesses of Fort Worth through story language creation, organic social media plans and website design, Jamey communicates his passion for community connection and successful business practices by addressing an unaddressed need, which is growth from the ground up.
This is exactly what Indy Blue has done. She understood that there were many existing influencer brands that only connected to a single audience, so she decided to do something different. She grew not only her personal brand, but the Lonely Ghost brand in a way that was relatable. The phrases printed on Lonely Ghost clothing insight emotion and make people care. When I wear my pair of “I love you, say it back” sweatpants, people ask questions that often result in meaningful conversations. I love sharing what Lonely Ghost means to me, just like many people who own pieces from the brand also do. This is effective branding. This what sells products, increases consumerism and creates relatability. And in Indy Blue’s case, this is what makes a lonely ghost a little less lonely.
Meet The Author
Jessica Badham is a Strategic Communication major with a Psychology minor. She is the PR Manager for Pink Team and will be returning to Roxo for her final few months at TCU next semester. Jessica is passionate about healthcare communications and is hoping to work for a PR and advertising agency after graduation. She is a California native who loves mornings at the beach, watching documentaries and traveling with her friends and family.