Nothing's chief brand officer Charlie Smith says he is rejecting formulaic marketing to take on Apple and Samsung, using retro-futuristic design and community input to stand out in a crowded market.
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01Summary
- 01Nothing was valued at $1.3 billion after a $200 million Series C round in 2025.
- 02Global smartphone shipments fell 20% in the third quarter of 2026, the weakest since 2012, according to Counterpoint Research.
- 03Samsung's market share rose from 19% to 23% and Apple's from 18% to 22% over the same period.
- 04More than half (56%) of marketing chiefs say their CFO is pushing harder for evidence of marketing's financial impact, per Duke University's 2026 CMO Survey.
- 05Nothing's fan community elects a community board observer who attends quarterly board meetings and presents customers' views on products.
02Why it matters
In a smartphone market dominated by Apple and Samsung and hit by falling shipments and rising costs, Nothing's approach shows how smaller players can compete by using bold design and customer-driven marketing.
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