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GetCraft marks current trends in beauty marketing

By
GetCraft
 •
May 21, 2020

“You’re very lucky to be in the beauty industry, because it is growing aggressively,” said GetCraft Managing Director Kate Delos Reyes as she opened last April 30’s Manila Marketers Meetup (MMM).

With the theme “Face Forward: Trends in Beauty Marketing,” the event brought together experts from different corners of the beauty industry to discuss the rapidly changing landscape of the business. Delos Reyes’s talk was followed by those of beauty blogger Martha Sta. Barbara (also known as The Beauty Junkee) and Benefit General Manager Donna Shaw Manalastas, who both helped shed light on current shifts and trends in the beauty industry. The three speakers were also joined by beauty influencer Gretchen Gatan for a post-talk panel discussion.

According to Delos Reyes, the beauty industry is currently growing at 4.7% annually and is set to be a 529 billion industry by 2021. This growth is mainly attributed to the increasing personalization of the beauty experience.

There is no longer one beauty model consumers ascribe to, the panel agreed. Rather, there is increasing fragmentation of consumer segments. A wide range of products must now cater to a wide range of complexions, skin types, and personal preferences (especially when it comes to the manufacturing of the products).

Given the diverse industry (which has been predicted to become more diverse in the years to come), what must marketers do to prepare themselves?

Here are the trends that were discussed during the event:

Organic & natural

Delos Reyes advises that to keep up with the organic & natural trend, marketers should learn how to build their messaging around what’s natural about their product.

61% of women read beauty product ingredients before making a purchase. “We are now more conscious about the ingredients that are in the products that we put on our face,” she expounded.

However, this does not mean you have to develop new products right away. According to Google, it may benefit you to take a closer look at the products you already have on store shelves. “Take a look at the ingredient list and see what’s in there. Because there’s a very good chance your products already contain some of the top ingredients people are searching for — you’re just not putting those ingredients front and center,” Google’s Jason Klein explains in this article.

Beauty goes green

Related to the first trend, choosing eco-friendly products across different product categories has also become a favorite exercise amongst consumers. Facebook IQ Data on the Beauty Industry shows that Plastic Pollution conversations have greatly risen in 2018 compared to 2017, and this conversation is driven mostly by women. These conversations are also mirrored in their consumption of products.

Beauty blogger Martha Sta. Barbara also expressed how important it is for beauty brands to have their own advocacies. “People are now more educated on environmental and social issues, and have started to favor brands that help make the world a better place,” she said.

To make the most of this trend, it is advisable to get allies to back up your brand’s advocacy.

You can look to influencer marketing to help spread out your message.

Personal & personalized

With differing complexion, skin types, etc., marketers should exert an effort in connecting and representing markets with care. “Being inclusive needs to be done with sensitivity,” Delos Reyes shared.

Donna Shaw Manalastas of Benefit added, “The beauty landscape has changed dramatically. From the way customers consume content, to the change in beauty messaging, we are now living in an exciting time, where despite being in the age of connectedness, people are left craving for a sense of community.”

Delos Reyes cites Vice Cosmetics as an example:

“The marketers recognized the importance of resonating with influencers or resonating with people that you follow online. Because this diverse set of girls in [the poster] are actually influencers, [Vice] combined their wider range of products with wider representation — not just in color, but in people coming from different backgrounds.”

Image from Vice Cosmetics #GandangYouNaYou campaign

Beauty is online

Lastly, marketers should acknowledge the fact that beauty is an industry that has become highly democratized. “Smaller brands are winning in the e-commerce space,” said Delos Reyes.

For big brands to keep up, they must learn to complete the online consumer journey. “Don’t stop at your Facebook page, your IG page, with all of your creative assets that would help your target market discover your products,” Delos Reyes urged attendees. “Make sure you have a way to distribute your products online. It can be through one of the many platforms available out there, or even your own.”

She also suggests exploring shoppable tags, which Instagram currently offers.

Educate and empower

Overall, the panel agreed that although these trends may help build or keep brands up-to-date; what marketers shouldn’t forget is that the beauty industry at its core is there to empower consumers.

Thus, brands shouldn’t just dictate what’s hot, or what the next big thing is. “[Consumers] are empowered enough to decide that for themselves,” said Manalastas. According to her, brands are now being rewarded for exemplifying values their market wants to identify with.

“The brands that you support as a consumer actually reflect your character and that’s how personal beauty has become now. It’s always been personal, but the conversations have revolved around a deeper kind of personality,” she added.

Thus, beauty marketing must go beyond what’s trendy and build conversations with audiences. It is through this that brands get to fully reflect the wants, needs, and the character of their target consumer.

Also read:

Less Buzz, More Trust: How To Win At Influencer Marketing In 2019

Marketing to Gen Z: What You Need To Remember

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