How Glossier Transformed the Cosmetics Industry
Glossier is a digitally native beauty brand that has well-established a large social media presence, especially amongst millennial and Gen-Z consumers. The cult-status brand was launched online, in 2014, with only four underlying beauty products, and within these few years, they have immensely expanded their product portfolio, as well has rapidly grown into the billion-dollar business it is today.
One might question their approach to success, but in fact, there’s no secret to Glossier’s triumph. It's really evident that their key ingredient is its intelligent use of social media, in particular Instagram, which helped build their massive followings. Glossier’s infamous Instagram campaign, Body Hero, is one of the most current examples that illustrate its successful use of social media marketing and branding that transforms content into an emotionally connecting e-commerce experience. This social media campaign showcases all factors and methods of understanding customers’ lifestyles, habits, and buying preferences when promoting its beauty products.
To begin with, Glossier’s overall digital campaign, as well as product packaging designs, uses a minimalistic branding design to promote its image of feminine aesthetics and natural beauty. Its focus on producing beautifully curated posts for its page compels visitors to recognize its distinguished elements of pictures, colours, and represented people. This single factor is considered majorly attractive and appealing for many millennials and Generation Z in this era. Glossier sees its customers as a target of both receivers of marketing and influencing marketers by encouraging consumers to photograph and share photos of their purchased products as well as the final product looks on their Instagram feed. As a result, using the hashtag, #BodyHero, fans will have the chance to be featured on the brand’s main account feed and both the brand and consumer can revel in a two-way relationship and lead to more exposure for the brand.
In addition to their effective brand design and strategy of engagement, Glossier chooses to feature a diverse range of people for their campaign that ranges from ordinary people to lesser-known influencers in order to reach its consumers in a way that feels far more authentic and relatable. Rather than using well-known celebrities to endorse their brand, in the “Body Hero” campaign, Glossier uses self-shot images of a variety of women from different professions as nude models to demonstrate the various body shapes and ethnicities. This element produces a sense of similarity and inclusivity with its customers. Furthermore, the relatable photos of influencers with minimal makeup and clear skin suggest a positive message to its audience that is to embrace our differences and imperfections in our way. Glossier’s approach to creating an uplifting environment on social media exemplifies the strategy of perfected marketing by using regular, relatable people wearing less makeup and having normal skin to persuade consumer behaviour and influence more product purchases. Unlike the conventional trend of promoting flawlessness and perfection, Glossier instead emphasizes the opposite — imperfection and diversity.
Many companies within the same industry are also evidently following Glossier’s lead of marketing the norm of natural skin, as well as selling barely visible makeup. However, compared to their competitors, such as Fenty Beauty and Huda Beauty, who both have large follower bases and additionally provides products for all ages, Glossier’s target audience is instead clearly identified as only a millennial brand.
Fenty Beauty markets its brand to women of all ages and skin types, such as women with albinism and other skin conditions. Their brand strategy is to increase diversity within the cosmetics industry by meeting the needs of almost all types of complexions. While Glossier’s brand image does not lose in any sense to Fenty Beauty with its digital marketing strategies, when we compare both, Fenty Beauty seems to touch the hearts of more enthusiasts around the world. The inclusivity offered by Fenty is an additional aspect that Glossier could embrace. Instead of only focusing on forming a “personal, authentic connection” with its users, as well as prioritizing skincare or the “no makeup” makeup look, Glossier should include a more diverse group of models with different skin conditions.
Aside from the areas of improvement, Glossier’s disruption has managed to revolutionize the traditional beauty industry by empowering the idea of natural beauty. They have achieved in providing millennial and Gen-Z consumers with the satisfaction to positively express closely held values and thoughts using the power of social media.
