Stabilo has used a two-day customer showcase in Milan to set out Forward 2030, a strategy that moves the company from a product-first approach to a brand-first one. More than 150 customers from around the world attended the 19–20 October event, where CEO Michele Molon and the Stabilo team presented the plan and showed how it is taking shape across products, partnerships and distribution.
Molon described the change as an evolution rather than a revolution. Stabilo has historically concentrated on the product itself; the new strategy puts the brand at the centre and repositions the company as a lifestyle label associated with colour, creativity and confidence, he said. The aim is to communicate beyond product functionality into design, fashion, beauty and lifestyle.
Mika appointed guest creative director
A central element is the appointment of singer-songwriter Mika as guest creative director. Molon said the appointment is an important step in strengthening Stabilo’s relevance with different audiences, with Mika contributing to dedicated projects and products. The company presented the appointment as part of that wider audience effort.
Product collaborations extend the highlighter
Among the projects shown in Milan were two reinterpretations of the Stabilo Boss highlighter. The Stabilo Boss Jewel is a limited luxury edition developed with Swarovski and embellished with Swarovski Zirconia. The Stabilo Boss Plush gives the iconic product a plush tactile finish in soft pastel colours. More projects are to come, according to the company.
The products illustrate the intended shift from functionality alone to a wider brand identity. A highlighter remains the base object, but the collaborations place it in design, fashion and lifestyle contexts, where material, finish and colour carry more of the message.
Travel retail and digital accessories
The strategy also has a commercial dimension. Stabilo is developing new distribution channels consistent with its lifestyle positioning. At the end of September, it presented its travel-retail entry concept at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes and opened discussions with international partners in the sector.
At the Cannes exhibition, Stabilo showed travel-themed creative kits and a new range of digital accessories. The range includes a digital stylus for writing and drawing on tablets, USB charging cables and other practical essentials, bringing Stabilo’s familiar comfort, function and colour into the digital world.
Molon said the travel expo went exceptionally well, with positive feedback and visits from most major travel retailers. The creative kits attracted attention, he added, but the digital technology drew particular interest. Three of Stabilo’s most iconic colours — bold pink, green and yellow — have been applied to ergonomic, colourful tech accessories for everyday digital life.
Retailers respond to the brand plan
Reflecting on the Milan showcase, Molon called the event very positive and pointed to encouraging feedback from retailers on the new strategy. Retailers could see the benefits of the approach and how Stabilo wants them to join the journey, he said. The company presented the period ahead as an exciting one.
The Forward 2030 plan therefore links a brand-first positioning with named creative direction, limited-edition product collaborations, travel-retail development and a move into digital accessories. The showcase gave customers and journalists a chance to see those elements together, rather than as separate product launches.