Known worldwide as a retailer of top quality straighteners, ghd, or Good Hair Day, actually goes under the working name of Jemella Ltd. Few people know that, even though the name is there in very small print on the brand’s official website, just as very few people know the true history of one of the fastest growing hair product brands in not only the UK, but the world!
Contrary to popular assumption, ghd is a UK brand – not only that, it’s a brand that originated in Leeds, up north in Yorkshire. The company was founded back in 2001 when ex-salon stylist Robert Powls recognised the gap in the market for high quality heat styling products. He and his two business partners, Gary Douglas and Martin Penny, acquired the rights to an innovative new hair straightener that had been invented in South Korea. So, ghd was born, originally a brand of straightener sold only in salons. The brand expanded to be sold in Australia a year later in 2002.
For the first two years of its existence, ghd didn’t advertise its brand. Initially this was probably to keep costs low until the company was up and running, but the ghd straighteners proved so popular that their fame was spread effectively by word of mouth so no further advertising was needed. It wasn’t until 2003 that ghd launched its first ad campaign as the sponsor of British reality TV show The Salon. That year it also expanded into South Africa, Spain, Italy and Scandinavia, as well as launching to new models of straighteners, the salon and mini stylers.
In 2004 ghd decided to take enter the North American market, and is now known there as ghd USA. That was also the year that ghd launched its involvement with the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity, releasing a limited edition pink styler. A percentage of all profit made from these stylers went to the charity. The company has retained this affiliation with the charity for six years, releasing a new pink model every year in order to raise more funds.
In 2006, ghd launched in Spain and Germany. The company underwent a lot of upheaval that year, as the Jemella Group was bought by Lloyds Development Capita and sold just eleven months later to Montagu Private Equity. However, that seems to have little detrimental effect on the brand, as ghd straighteners continue to be considered the best in the world!
