EXCLUSIVE: OZ Retailers & Carriers Now Have Access To The World’s Hottest Accessory Brand

Retailers in Australia will soon have the opportunity to range one of the world’s most explosive new tech brands, after Brisbane-based distributor Cellnet secured the rights to Casetify, the accessory brand pulling millions of millennials and Gen Z consumers into stores and online for covers for their smartphones, watch bands, as well as covers for computers and tablets.

Yesterday I visited their new pilot store in Sydney’s Pitt Street, where an array of different designs are on display.

The store was packed with people at 4.00pm on a Tuesday afternoon, as consumers searched for a new-look cover for their smartphones after hearing about the launch via social media.

When I asked one young consumer why Casetify, they said, “It’s smart I like the designs.”

She was also impressed by the fact she could have her favourite picture printed onto a cover while she waited.

Casetify is a brutally strong brand in the tech world, according to analysts, that reach 1 in 7 millennials.

For retailers the brand is not only a traffic generator it’s a revenue generator, with consumers happy to pay $100+ for a cover, claims Charlie Parke, the global head of sales.

He claims the brand is today a platform for creativity and self-expression that connects individuals.

The brand also has on board celebrities, including Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo and Kylie Jenner, whose recommendations are tracked by Casetify customers.

Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa and Olivia Rodrigo to K-pop supergroup BTS, as well as numerous high-profile celebrities, have sported the brand’s collection and collaborated with them over years.

Dave Clarke, the CEO of Cellnet, says, “We are extremely excited to partner with Casetify as it expands globally into traditional retail outlets.”

The addition of Casetify allows retail partners to tap into one of the most successful stories in the tech accessories category,” he adds.

“The brand has proven itself in the online space with tremendous growth, appealing to a younger generation and offering a truly aspirational and unique offering. The addition of Casetify to our portfolio of market-leading brands ensures Cellnet continues to offer its retail partners the latest tech accessories with strong underlying demand profiles.”

founded in Hong Kong, Casetify is today racking up sales in the tens of millions.

In 2022 the brand had revenues of more than A$446 million.

The co-founder of the business, Wesley Ng, recently revealed the idea for the business sprung up after he ventured into the world of social media and was fascinated by Instagram, right after purchasing his first iPhone.

After trying hard and failing to find a phone case he liked, Wesley thought to himself about how great it would be to create a case that best expressed its user.

This finally led to the creation of an app called Casetagram, which allowed people to turn photos from their Instagram feed into a phone case.

A perfect crossover of social media and technology, the idea got major attention from the start.

Word quickly spread online and media including the New York Times, TechCrunch, Mashable started praising Casetify designs very quickly. The Company was working out how to cope with the tens of thousands of customers wanting to get their hands on a Casetify cover and their designs.

One of the very first celebrities who got behind the brand was Jamie Oliver, after the celebrity chef posted about the brand on his Twitter and Instagram, causing massive traffic on the website.

“That was one of the turning points,” claims Wesley.

At this point he quit his day job and started Casetify.

Greg Morrison, the General Manager of Sales at Cellnet, says, “This is a brand that brings people into stores.”

He also admits that retailers have to be prepared to give up floor space for the displays needed to show the brand’s range of designs that are appealing to a target audience who have a high disposable income and are prepared to outlay more than $100 on a cover.

In Australia there will be a mix of Company-owned stores, according to Charlie Parke, with carriers and retailers who range the product “able to benefit from the high traffic it drives into stores”.

“The target audience want to express themselves via a piece of cover art”.

Casetify allows customers to choose the print/design of the case, colour and any text or photos you like.

Their collection of designs runs into thousands, with an Australian range of designs already on show in their new Sydney store.

Each device has multiple case types, and for cases that allow adding text, you can also choose the font, colour and layout.

Consumers can also create photo grid cases with different layout options and add pictures from their social media handles or device.

Globally the majority of Casetify’s sales happen through its website, with Australian retailers set to be given the opportunity to build out Casetify brand pages on their websites that will generate both traffic and revenue.

Casetify founder and CEO Wes Ng says that as part of the next stage of the retailer’s global expansion, opening offline retail stores in Australia is a key strategic focus.