Tech challenger Nothing has appointed Charlie Smith as its first chief brand officer.
Smith joins from LVMH brand Loewe, where he has spent the last seven years as chief marketing officer (CMO).
During his Loewe tenure, the brand’s turnover more than doubled to reach $958 million (€885.2 million), thanks to a TikTok-led marketing strategy and partnerships that included dressing Rihanna for Super Bowl 57 and Beyoncé during her Cowboy Carter tour.
Smith will now oversee Nothing’s global branding, image, marketing, communications, and store design as it seeks to sharpen its creative positioning.
“It feels like there are a lot of similarities between Nothing now and when I joined Loewe in 2018,” Smith told ADWEEK. “The thinking I’ll transfer across is being laser-focused on the brand message and its total simplicity and clarity, and then landing that in popular culture.”
A U.K. unicorn
Founded in 2020 by Carl Pei, London-based Nothing styles itself as an alternative to Apple and Samsung, manufacturing sleek smartphones, watches, and audio accessories.
The independent company has raised $200 million in funding over the last five years, reaching a valuation of $1.3 billion (almost £1bn) in September 2025.
It’s now preparing for its next era: an AI-native platform where hardware and software converge into a single intelligent system.
As Nothing’s products mature, Smith said his first six months will be focused on “evolving the identity of the brand and its campaigns to feel more creative and rebellious, along with actively challenging the status quo in communication.”
He’ll also be looking to generate visibility through paid media, as well as celebrity partnerships and events that connect Nothing to the cultural zeitgeist.
“I’m most excited by the opportunity to build a truly different and new kind of technology brand,” Smith added. “One that’s in step with the needs of the next generation, that cares about its community, and that’s deeply and authentically connected to culture.”
