Fragrance brand KAYALI, founded in 2018 by beauty mogul and fragrance fanatic Mona Kattan, has ensured the comeback of its cult favourite fragrance Musk | 12, which was shaped, inspired and voiced entirely by its community.
In response to overwhelming demand from fragrance lovers, KAYALI reintroduced its cult-favorite Musk | 12, supported by a playful, narrative-driven campaign that quickly captured attention across the region.
Launched in October, the creative rollout tapped directly into the brand’s vibrant fragrance community, bringing their voice – quite literally – into the storytelling.
Since its initial release, Musk | 12 has been one of KAYALI’s cult favourite scents. When it quietly disappeared from shelves, the community made their feelings known – flooding comments, DMs and videos with a single question: “Where is Musk | 12?”
Rather than opting for a traditional relaunch announcement, KAYALI transformed this demand into a socially driven, community-powered campaign that celebrated the obsession and nostalgia behind the scent – turning a simple restock into a cultural moment.
Across social media, the campaign rolled out on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, supported by a strategic paid push to maximise reach and discovery.
At the time of launch, KAYALI.com was live exclusively in the US mainland and the UK, so paid promotion was focused entirely on these two markets to drive traffic, conversion and awareness during the debut phase of the platform.
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A new era: Musk | 12 return timed with KAYALI independent e-commerce platform launch
The return of Musk | 12 also marks a milestone moment for the brand with the launch of KAYALI.com – KAYALI’s first fully independent global e-commerce platform. The site is a pivotal chapter in the brand’s evolution as it transitions toward having a direct relationship with its global community.
This campaign played a strategic role in supporting the platform’s launch across the United States mainland and the United Kingdom, with plans to expand into additional markets – including the Middle East, Canada, Australia, France, Germany and the Netherlands, in the coming months driving both awareness and traffic through a culturally relevant regional moment amplified globally.
With KAYALI.com, the brand now has the freedom to shape its digital universe – offering exclusive products, immersive content, fragrance education, and direct access to cult favorites such as Musk | 12, which was relaunch alongside exclusively on the platform.
Mona Kattan, Founder and CEO of KAYALI, said, “Launching KAYALI.com is a dream come true for me. From the very beginning, our mission has been to connect with our community in the most authentic and inspiring way possible, and this new platform allows us to do just that.
Kattan added, “KAYALI.com is more than just a website; it’s a home for fragrance lovers everywhere! It’s where our community can explore, learn, and experience the full KAYALI universe, while enjoying exclusive gems like Musk | 12 and discovering their perfect scent match through our Fragrance Finder. I’m so excited to finally bring all of this to life and share it with the world.”
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The idea: Mona’s nightmare: Haunted by the love for Musk | 12
The hero campaign film showcases a humorous, dream-sequence narrative. In the spot, Founder and CEO, Mona Kattan is seen being followed, chased, and playfully “haunted” by her community, each demanding the return of Musk | 12. The visual language mirrors a surreal, comedic nightmare – blending cinematic tension with light-hearted charm.
The campaign was designed for social media channels, specifically Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Short-form edits were intentionally built for viral shareability, reflecting the objective of high-impact, high-reach community engagement across markets.
Throughout the film, familiar lines from real community comments are woven into the scenes, grounding the storytelling in authenticity and reinforcing the emotional connection fans have with the scent.
KAYALI tapped production house TOAST Films to help execute this concept and bring the campaign to life.
“Working with the KAYALI team was such a joy. Their strong sense of identity, paired with an unwavering commitment to their community, created the perfect foundation for us to produce a concept that feels playful, feminine, and unmistakably KAYALI. With an incredible line-up of content creators, we were able to craft a campaign that stayed as connected and community-driven as the story behind the scent itself.” said Chaza Said, Executive Producer, Toast Films.
The cast: A celebration of community
To reinforce the narrative of community obsession, the campaign features a collective of creators a.k.a. BFFs (Best Fragrance Friends) of the brand.
- Twinkle Stanly (@twinklestanly) Dubai-based lifestyle creator and long-time supporter of the brand. Having admired her content for years, KAYALI was excited to finally collaborate with her in a campaign fueled by authenticity and humour.
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- Leya El Hajj (@leya.aounelhajj) Beauty and lifestyle creator, Sephora Squad member, and a BFF of the brand. Leya has been an integral part of the KAYALI family since the very beginning.
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- Safa Siddiqui (@safa_dubai) Entrepreneur, creator, and Mona Kattan’s Dubai Bling co-star – bringing her signature personality and humor to the campaign’s narrative.
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- Kara Davis (@littlebochic) VP of Global Marketing at KAYALI and one of the brand’s earliest champions. When people think of Musk | 12, they think of Kara. A true superfan, she has been vocal about her love for the fragrance from day one.
- Michelle Castro (@sisyousmellgood) Founder of Sisyousmellgood, one of the most engaged fragrance forums in social media with over 100K members. A long-time BFF of the brand, Michelle has built an ever-growing global space for fragrance lovers around the world.
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Their presence brings humour, relatability, and personality to the storyline – transforming a simple comeback announcement into a shared cultural moment.
Their involvement also ensured the campaign carried both regional and global relevance – bringing together a diverse mix of creators who hold strong influence in the Middle East while also commanding global visibility.
Even those based in the region speak to highly international audiences, creating a powerful blend of voices that positioned the campaign as universally resonant rather than regionally focused. Ultimately, each cast member is a true fragrance lover, has been part of the KAYALI community from the very beginning
Short-form edits were released across Instagram and TikTok, designed for viral shareability. The now-trending scenes – Mona being scared awake, creators confronting her from different corners, and the final reveal that Musk | 12 is officially back – quickly resonated with regional audiences.
“Musk | 12 Is Back” is more than a product return – it’s a tribute to the community that made the fragrance iconic.
CREDITS:
Client and creative direction: KAYALI
Production: TOAST Films
Executive Producer: Chaza Said, TOAST Films
Director/DOP: Emiliano Argañaraz
Photographer: Vaughan Treyvellan,
MMG Art Director: Andronico Rosario
1st AD: Christopher Marais
