Cosmetics brands are all too aware of the high expectations that consumers have and the lengths they must go to in order to gain their loyalty. With so many competing brands, it can be difficult to capture and maintain consumers’ focus. After all, there are plenty more fish in the sea, right? In recent years, we have seen a shift of focus away from the product and towards the brand experience as a whole. So in the beauty industry, who are today’s big buyers that you should be thinking of when you design your brand experience? They are:
- Expectant. Always with a choice of brands to purchase from, consumers have high standards and expect the best value for money. Along with their high expectations of the product itself, they want a seamless, personalised experience with fast results and so falling short of their expectations can be damaging.
- Sustainability-conscious. With increasing awareness of the fragility of our planet and the damaging impacts of some ingredients used in cosmetics products, more consumers are seeking products which contain sustainably sourced, natural ingredients as well as limited or recyclable packaging. Brands must, therefore, convey the value of their ingredients, clearly explaining the benefits and backing them up with hard facts and data.
- Digital. Technology has changed the world of marketing and is causing huge shifts in the fast-paced cosmetics industry. Today’s consumers are tech-savvy and connected 24 hours a day, allowing them to shop online at their convenience, using chatbots for guidance.
- Social. The power of social media is no secret and almost all brands are finding ways to tap into it. Whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or other, consumers are increasingly influenced by what they see on social media and tend to trust word-of-mouth over the brand itself, hence why we have seen such a rise in influencers.
- Content-lovers. Consumers look to brands to provide them with beauty advice and tips and value those who do. How-to videos, that help them achieve that flawless “selfie-ready” look, are everything to modern consumers and so content creation is a huge focus for many beauty brands.
- Efficient. They want interactions to be smooth, easy and enjoyable – anything short of this can be frustrating and instantly off-putting, causing them to look elsewhere. Convenience is therefore key.
- Human. Despite all the technology and efficiency, consumers are increasingly considerate of the value proposition of brands, leaning towards those that have some form of added value, something for the “greater good”. They are willing to put the time and effort into researching which brand is the most responsible and beneficial choice.
Today’s consumers are empowered. By technology, by knowledge, by social media, by others. Considering all of the above points, engaging consumers and gaining long term loyalty is a huge challenge for beauty brands and will, therefore, encourage continuous innovation. Given that consumers engage with brands across so many different channels, it is important to focus on creating a consistent brand experience that appeals to your target consumers.