Anna Mayo, VP Beauty Vertical NIQ09.26.23
In the past few years, we have seen a massive explosion in celebrity brands in the CPG industry, but no category has seen more celebrity brands than Beauty & Personal Care. In 2022 alone, celebrity beauty brands saw 70M unit sales and $761M in sales—a 35% and 33% increase from the year before, respectively (based on the 49 celebrity beauty brands NIQ tracks). This data highlights not only celebrity beauty brands' popularity but also their ever-growing collections. Since 2019, we’ve seen 43 celebrity beauty brand launches, with 2021 and 2022 seeing 13 each. So, how have these brands thrived? And what can they do to ensure they continue to?
Overall, celebrities can use various methods of community and connection to promote their beauty brands. Celebrities can continue connecting with their fanbase by utilizing new-age tactics to drive engagement and sales.
Overall, there are several reasons why consumers could feel more comfortable buying beauty products from celebrities. If celebrity beauty brands can establish a connection with their customers and a sense of trust, these celebrity beauty brands should be able to continue to thrive.
About the Author
Anna Mayo is Vice President Beauty Vertical, NIQ.
Community & Connection
Part of the idea of celebrity is having a fanbase and letting them feel connected to you. Nowadays, technology plays a significant role; whether it’s social media, television, or even virtual reality, celebrities want to create a bond with you, even if it’s not traditional. With this bond comes the ability for celebrities to promote their products to their community in several ways, some of which include:- Sharing Behind-the-Scenes Content: Sharing snippets of product brainstorming, development, testing, and more can connect fans to the celebrity and the brand, making them feel like they’re part of the process. In the age of social media, this is a common and efficient way to build excitement for celebrity beauty launches. Some celebrities will even ask for fan input during development or question them about what they want to see from the brand next.
- Giving Product Demonstrations: Whether celebrities live stream on social media or post content to their profiles, demonstrating products can add authenticity and give fans a peek into the celebrity's routines and preferences. This can also gently push customers toward specific products if they see them in action and like the results.
- Hosting Contests and Giveaways: Celebrities want to engage with their fanbase and promote their beauty brands. What better way to engage than hosting a giveaway? This is a great way to generate excitement and get people to engage with the brand on social media. Additionally, if one of the stipulations of the contest or giveaway is to share the content with several other people, celebrity beauty brands can expand their fanbase and, hopefully, garner new customers.
Overall, celebrities can use various methods of community and connection to promote their beauty brands. Celebrities can continue connecting with their fanbase by utilizing new-age tactics to drive engagement and sales.
Trust & Authenticity
Many consumers feel more comfortable buying beauty products from people they support. Celebrities are perceived as a trusted source because the consumer is familiar with them versus a faceless brand. Celebrities are often seen as aspirational figures, and people may want to emulate their beauty looks.- Create Reputable Product: This one may seem obvious, but not all celebrity beauty brands are created equal. A quality product will create satisfied customers who will drive more sales and create a reputable and trustworthy brand that will continue growing. Celebrities are often seen as experts in beauty, and people trust their recommendations, so creating a quality product is essential in building trust.
- Be Accessible: Celebrities are often admired for their beauty, with fans constantly wanting to emulate their looks. This can make consumers more likely to buy beauty products from celebrities, as they believe that the products will help them achieve the desired look. By creating a quality product that will allow fans to achieve similar looks to the celebrity, fans gain trust in the product and will most likely be returning customers.
- Demonstrate Expertise: Celebrities often have access to talented makeup artists, meaning they are usually well-versed in the latest beauty trends and techniques. By staying on top of the latest trends in the beauty industry and shaping products and brands accordingly, consumers may trust that celebrities know what they’re doing and gain authenticity.
Overall, there are several reasons why consumers could feel more comfortable buying beauty products from celebrities. If celebrity beauty brands can establish a connection with their customers and a sense of trust, these celebrity beauty brands should be able to continue to thrive.
About the Author
Anna Mayo is Vice President Beauty Vertical, NIQ.