Nameless brand introduces Pay What You Feel initiative to mitigate financial frets

The skin care brand formerly known as Haeckels (FKAHaeckels) has released a scheme allowing customers to “pay what they want” for products to help it recover from slow sales.

“The intention is to help the brand generate some much-needed cash to continue to drive the business forward and on the road to recovery,” says FKAHaeckels. 

Over the past few years, the company has pursued growth at a pace that was “out of sync with its customers,” driving the business to near bankruptcy. It also cites increased costs as a reason for the Pay What You Feel initiative.

The scheme will last until March 20. It is based on a four-tiered pricing system. The brand says that it is important to have “full transparency” on the tiers to show “exactly how contributions will help the health of the business.”

The prices begin at £15.63 (US$19.77), and if customers choose the higher tiers, they can go up to £94.60 (US$119.67).

FKAHaeckels’ recovery plan follows the brand's name change last year in an attempt to cut ties with its initial inspiration, scientist Ernst Haeckel, who had associations with eugenics. 

Tier breakdown

The product selection available for purchase is: Marine Facial Cleanser, Eco Marine Cream, Algae Plump Serum, Reef Complex Skin Oil, Marine Night Cream, and Seaweed Solar Protect SPF 50+.

In tier one, consumers pay for packaging, raw materials, manufacturing, labor, and building costs. The brand says it loses money on the first tier “as it [does] not cover any of the head office, e-commerce, customer service, retail or spa staff, or operating costs.”

However, with the first option, the intention is not to make money but to gain new and lifelong customers. The second tier includes the cost of what is covered in the first tier and the customer-facing staff in stores.

FKAHaeckels aims to gain lifelong consumers.“We won’t see any profit with this selection, but it goes a bit further in supporting us in recovering from years of losses,” says FKAHaeckels.

“If you commit to buying this product from us more than once, we will lock in the price for you for six months.”

Tier three is the “recommended retail price” and will “help the health of the business.” The product funds will be reinvested into the company, community, and its initiatives. The final tier goes “above and beyond” and supports the brand’s free sauna in Margate, UK.

Brand name’s past

FKAHaeckels initiated a rebrand last year to shake off its association with scientist Ernst Haeckel. Haeckel made many scientific contributions to biology and ecology, which is why the brand originally chose his name. However, he is also reported to have been an early advocate of eugenics.

Haeckel promoted scientific racism and social Darwinism — rhetoric that was later affiliated with Nazism.

“I was inspired by the art and details of Haeckel, but his views are abhorrent and totally misaligned with everything we are and what we stand for,” FKAHaeckels founder Dom Bridges told Cosmetics Business at the time.

Since November 2024, the skin care and fragrance brand has removed Haeckel from all its packaging and operated as nameless.

Bridges claimed he had wanted to overhaul the brand name and packaging for years but felt he was not in a position to do so. He said the brand has been “fighting for survival.”