Rocco’s Alyse Borkan on building a lifestyle brand in the appliance category

Ad Age is marking Women’s History Month with a series of contributions from guest essayists. Today, Alyse Borkan, co-founder of smart fridge brand Rocco, writes about bringing innovation to an overwhelmingly male-dominated industry. Name the brand of your fridge. Chances are, it was started by a man. I don’t even need to know which one you have to make that assumption, because almost every single major appliance brand was started by men and is still led by an executive team of 10 of them today. The appliance industry isn’t just dominated by men at the executive level—it’s built for them, by them, at every touchpoint. Walk into a showroom and you’ll likely find a male salesperson overwhelming you with high-tech specs. Visit a big box retailer and the aisles are lined with mini fridges that could only possibly look good in a man cave. Even early appliance ads from the 1950s tell the same story in a different way. Picture perfectly polished women in dresses and heels, grinning in front of an open fridge, ready to serve. The tagline? Probably something like “The key to a happy home,” which, let’s be real, was just code for “The key to a happy husband.” These ads weren’t just selling appliances—they were showcasing a vision of a woman’s role, gracefully tending to her family and guests. After a decade of helping other founders shape their brands, I knew I wanted the chance to drive change firsthand, especially in a category that felt outdated and was overwhelmingly male-dominated. I wanted to build something in a space where innovation was long overdue, where I could make a real and lasting impact. I’ve worked at startups for most of my career, so I know how much impact the founders have on the company culture, the product decisions that get prioritized, the stories that get told and the way a brand ultimately shows up in the world. I can’t even begin to take all the credit for what we’ve built so far. At Rocco, I’m surrounded every day by an incredible team of women shaping our business—from our creative director and head of partnerships to our COO and head of customer experience, and many more. Rocco is the first true lifestyle brand in the appliance category. It isn’t a “gadget,” it isn’t a beer fridge, it’s not designed just for the Super Bowl watch party. We don’t show women playing hostess, serving drinks in the kitchen while everyone else enjoys the party in the next room. We show guests grabbing a drink themselves and we inspire a different style of hosting. One that’s a lot more focused on sending a “come over!” text and less on a three-course meal. We’re focused on the real ways people live and gather today. At every step, we’ve made intentional choices to prioritize women. While many expected us to launch in an appliance store, our first retail partner was Nordstrom, where 73% of shoppers are women. Because in an industry designed and marketed by men, we knew exactly who we wanted to speak to first. You’ll find us in the warm and inviting home decor section, nestled among mushroom lamps and playful rugs, right where we belong. I think about those first appliance ads, the ones that portrayed women as homemakers, and then I think about how far we’ve come, the reality of my own life and the brand we’re building. The truth is I haven’t cooked dinner, done the dishes or even stripped the bed sheets in years. My husband does. And if he didn’t, I might not be here writing this essay about what it means to be one of the very first female founders in the appliance industry and how proud I am to be reshaping it. Sign up for Ad Age newsletters From influencer marketing to agencies, get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox Click here

Rocco’s Alyse Borkan on building a lifestyle brand in the appliance category

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