Julie Bowen on Creating a Brand That Attracts Both Moms and Teens

When actress Julie Bowen started chatting with former Condé Nast exec and fellow mom Jill Biren three years ago, the pair bonded over a comical, yet relatable truth: Their tween boys were starting to stink. Bowen—otherwise known as everyone’s favorite TV mom who plays Claire Dunphy on 11 seasons of Modern Family for which she scored two Emmy Awards—found that her twin boys, now 14, and eldest son,16, were using various body care products, yet “coming out of the bathroom dirtier than when they went in,” she shares on the latest episode of WorkParty.

For Bowen, the lack of products on the market for her boys that focus on natural ingredients, while offering a light, fresh fragrance, felt like a white space. She points to the overwhelming scent of napalm and unfavorable chemical ingredients that comprise some popular men’s care products today (which she chooses not to name), and cheekily adds that they “basically promise sex and money” in their marketing campaigns. To fill this hole in the market, Bowen and Biren decided to create a product line of their own.

Today, the concept has evolved into JB Skrub (aptly named for the founders’ initials), a vegan, cruelty-free body wash and skin-care brand for pre-teens and teens. Launched in January 2023 without any outside investors, the company offers a range of body spray, body wash, moisturizer, face wash, and facial toner pads. For the founders, creating the right product was only half the battle; the second biggest focus was ideating a dual marketing strategy that could attract both moms (“the ones with the wallets,” she says) and the kids who are the target consumers.

“[For moms], we wanted to make sure the products were clean and botanical, and dermatologist and pediatrician approved. We wanted the kids to see the bottle and say, ‘That’s cool. I want that,’” says Bowen. The result is fun, vibrant packaging that certainly stands out on the shelves in bright orange, blue, green, and yellow. (It’s also sustainably focused and made from post-consumer recycled plastic.) Even the text catches one’s attention with Bowen’s homegrown motto that reads: “Pits, Nuts, and Butts”—a candid reminder she would give her own sons before taking a shower. The informative humor speaks to both teens and moms.

Of course, having the backing of a big-name Hollywood star brings brand recognition in and of itself, and certainly helps in creating a customer base on social media (Bowen currently has 1.7 million Instagram followers). On the advice of her unofficial focus group—her sons—the brand has also turned to TikTok to attract Gen Z. TikTok has established itself among one of the top online platforms for U.S. teens, ages 13 to 17, according to a recent report from Pew Research Center.

“Through trial and error, we discovered that kids don’t like something that feels really expensive or that’s trying to sell them something. They want something that feels really organic—like me standing there with a sign talking to Harry Styles will get 10 million views, and that was just for funsies. Luckily, for marketing, there is trial and error. We see what hits,” says Bowen.

Tune into Bowen’s episode of WorkParty for more intel on the trials and errors of product creation and marketing, building community and engagement on social media, and future plans for the brand. (Hint: They have Target and Sephora in mind.)

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