"How can beauty brands truly stand out in today’s market?" by Martin Tibbott
Since the pandemic began what feels like many moons ago, beauty and wellness brands in today’s market have created several ways to be able to stand out from the rest. In 2021, it’s never been more important for them to stand out from the crowd. Nor has it ever been harder, when you consider the number of social channels or ways to promote yourself as a brand or promoting a new product launch to make the ultimate statement. Simply put, the number of competitors trying to make a statement in this category is ever growing and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. But how do you truly stand out and engage with consumers in the right way?
From signing the biggest talents as part of the latest campaign, collaborating with other brands in a totally different category, or even creating a virtual playground for skincare lovers to explore, one way beauty and wellness brands have stood out is through social media. Having pounced on the idea of social media, with Instagram and TikTok being the biggest of all, creativity is key. As most brands today need social media in order to be seen – how can they engage consumers on crowded digital platforms and overcome these barriers?
One beauty brand that stood out of late has been Rihanna’s beauty empire Fenty. In March 2020, the brand created dedicated content on TikTok called #fentybeautyhouse, featuring creators such as Makayla and Emmy Combs. Fenty Beauty was one of the first brands to open its own collab house specifically for TikTok showcasing the multi-billion-pound platforms potential. Fenty continues to feature product tutorials featuring a diverse and inclusive array of skin tones, as well as joining fun viral challenges such as the #simbachallenge and #sostunna.
Other ways beauty and wellness brands have been creative and stood out in today’s market has been through immersive experiences tapping into a world once never explored. Bare Minerals created a ‘Virtual Villa’ shopping experience with their latest celebrity ambassador Hailey Bieber. Taking immersive shopping to a new meaning where their dedicated fans could explore the ‘Virtual Villa’ in an interactive shopping experience led by Hailey herself. From 2020 until now, many other brands also tapped into the gaming world of Nintendo Switch that exploded in popularity during the pandemic. From pop-up islands to bespoke make-up looks and designer hoodies, Nintendo gave beauty brands an opportunity for creativity in a world that we’d never seen before.
Although creativity has been at the forefront for most brands, other ways that beauty and wellness brands have truly stood out for the right reasons has been through their ever-evolving ways to combat plastic waste. L’Occitane is one of the latest beauty players to opt for in-store refills. The initiative from the brand saw them make a statement to say they would contribute to a one-ton reduction in plastic waste in their first year. L’Occitane therefore installed refill fountains in 60 of their stores across 27 countries.
Other brands such as The Body Shop known for their ethical ideas, activated an in-store recycling scheme for ‘hard to recycle’ beauty items. The beauty giant rolled out its Return, Recycle and Repeat scheme to 225 stores across the UK. Set up in partnership with MyGroup and Scan2Recycle, the companies are helping eco-conscious beauty shoppers sustainably dispose of hard to recycle beauty products.
So, what does this mean for beauty brands moving forward? Creativity will always hold place in today’s market to stand out. Consumers are always looking for the next ‘big thing’ and ways they can engage with brands, and it seems to be working for many. Is there a way for beauty and wellness brands to combine both creativity and sustainability in conjunction? Or do we consider the eco-conscious mind to be just as creative?