More Than a Charm: How Pandora Is Rewriting the Rules of Modern Luxury

From lab-grown diamonds to Disney princesses, Pandora’s CMO is shaping a brand built not on exclusivity—but on personal meaning.

For Berta de Pablos-Barbier, the mission is clear: make jewelry feel personal again. As Chief Marketing Officer at Pandora, she’s leading one of the most visible—and complex—brand evolutions in global retail.

The challenge? Reposition a beloved but accessible brand for a new generation of consumers without losing the core idea that made it special: jewelry as a personal story, not a status symbol.

Speaking at Shoptalk 2025, de Pablos-Barbier unpacked what that journey looks like in practice—from refreshed stores to AI-powered insights, heritage craftsmanship to high-fashion collaborations.

Craft as Strategy

Pandora sells in 100 markets and operates nearly 7,000 stores worldwide—1,000 in the U.S. alone. With scale that size, consistency and quality are paramount. But de Pablos-Barbier began with a different kind of elevation: craftsmanship as brand signal.

In recent years, Pandora introduced hand-painted enamel pieces, collaborated with Murano glass masters, and leaned into the lesser-known fact that all products are handcrafted by over 12,000 artisans in Thailand. The goal wasn’t to go upmarket, she said—it was to match the brand experience to the emotional power of the product.

Heritage Meets Relevance

Pandora’s origins lie in a democratic vision: jewelry for everyone. That remains intact. But the definition of “everyone” is evolving.

To reach younger consumers and culturally diverse fandoms, the brand has embraced new expressions—lab-grown diamonds, co-branded Disney collections, engraved charms for marathon runners and casino-goers alike. Every piece is an opportunity to anchor a memory, celebrate identity, or mark a personal win.

The Real Frontline: In-Store Storytelling

While Pandora invests in ecommerce and data infrastructure, de Pablos-Barbier is clear-eyed about where the brand comes alive: its physical stores.

Pandora’s nearly 1,000 U.S. locations aren’t just sales points—they’re content engines. Associates are trained to surface stories, match products to meaning, and personalize the shopping journey in ways no algorithm can replicate.

“Technology is an enabler,” she noted. “But the magic happens in the human moments.”

Celebrity with Substance

Pandora’s recent collaborations include high-profile faces like Pamela Anderson—not just for fame, but for alignment. The brand only works with talent who already wear Pandora or share its values, de Pablos-Barbier explained. Authenticity isn’t a campaign concept—it’s a qualifier.

The same principle applies to micro-influencers and local creators. The brand’s global message is unified, but execution is hyper-local. What works in Copenhagen might not land in New Jersey. “It’s about being culturally specific and emotionally resonant, market by market.”

Creativity at Scale

As the brand expands into lab-grown diamonds and new collections, Pandora’s marketing model blends big-brand muscle with FMCG discipline. That means measuring ROI, tracking content performance, and testing new formats—including AI-driven personalization tools that support store associates and improve content development.

That balance—between long-term brand equity and short-term performance—is something others are taking note of.

“It’s been fascinating to have a window into the balancing act a brand like Pandora has to play,” said Sam Carter, CEO of Fospha. “Ensuring you can continue building on a brand vision while delivering financial results today is no easy feat. Pandora’s continued growth speaks to their commitment to creating fantastic experiences for future customers through their advertising—and it very much aligns with Fospha’s mission to support brands with full-funnel strategies that grow sales.”

But creativity remains non-negotiable.

“Efficiency is important. But we’re here to tell stories—so we need both the data and the imagination.”

What Pandora Is Teaching the Industry

💍 Personalization is emotional, not just algorithmic
🌍 Global scale requires local nuance—creatively and operationally
📦 Product data is strategy when it unlocks storytelling
🌱 Sustainability, AI, and authenticity aren’t separate pillars—they’re the baseline
🤝 Physical retail is still where trust is earned and stories begin

Pandora may be known for its charms—but under de Pablos-Barbier’s leadership, it’s clear the real story is brand reinvention.

Independently Created. Not affiliated with Shoptalk.

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