Weekly Newsletter - 10.03.2024

PLUS: Sephora's Strategic Growth Opens Doors for Indie Beauty Brands

Author

Priscilla Soedarpo
October 03, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

Fashion Network

L'Oréal Luxe is on a mission to turn Westfield London into the ultimate "Beauty Playground". Fresh off its Paris Fashion Week show and a major media takeover of London's Piccadilly Circus, the French beauty behemoth has set up an "Experience Pops Up" at the mall. This isn't just any pop-up; it's a beauty extravaganza featuring Lancôme, Armani, Valentino, and YSL Beauty. Imagine walking into a temporary store near the main entrance and being greeted by the latest products from these star brands.

Visitors can dive into Lancôme's skincare diagnostics technology, sniff out Armani's male fragrances, indulge in Valentino's signature scents, and explore YSL Beauty's makeup and fragrance collections. But wait, there's more! The experience includes personalized beauty services like tailored makeup looks, a shade finder to match your perfect foundation, and a skin profiler to discover your ideal skincare routine.

It's like a beauty wonderland where you can play, shop, and discover all in one place. So, if you're in the area, why not swing by and see what all the fuss is about? After all, who wouldn't want to be part of L'Oréal Luxe's latest beauty adventure?

Loopha

Deciem is relaunching its body care brand Loopha, focusing on innovation and personalization. The brand will offer products in Cleanse, Condition, and Elevate categories, starting with Hand & Body Wash in two fragrances. Loopha emphasizes biotechnology and has 30 products in development, including pet and laundry care.

Weleda expands its facial care line with two new ranges: Smoothing Face Care and Facial Cleansers. These products, rich in plant-based ingredients, aim to nourish and protect the skin. The Smoothing line targets fine lines, while the Cleansers remove impurities. Both ranges emphasize eco-friendly, effective skincare.

New guide reveals that Google Discovery is best for ROAS at low spend, whereas Performance Max delivers results at scale. To optimize performance in Google, brands should:

  • Invest in Performance Max, which comprises ~24% of budget on average and supports increased scale at similar performance.

  • Leverage Google Discovery for potentially strong ROAS, especially at lower spend levels.

  • Consider Google Shopping as a middle-ground option, offering good ROAS potential with more scale than Discovery.

This research was put together by Fospha, EMEA's leading marketing measurement platform. Fospha has $1bn spend under measurement across 150+ of the world's best eCom brands, including Free People and Gymshark. They've assembled a guide of the best Google channels & strategies to lead brands into H2 - you can read this here.

Brands are leveraging holistic video strategies to engage consumers across multiple platforms, driving full-funnel business outcomes. By utilizing first-party data and diverse video channels, companies like PepsiCo and Lexus achieve significant increases in brand awareness, consideration, and conversions. Amazon Ads exemplifies this approach, offering expansive opportunities for advertisers.

Clean beauty is evolving beyond natural ingredients to include sustainable packaging and refillable components. Consumers demand clean, science-backed products, leading to the rise of clinical beauty. Innovations like exosome technology and AI-driven personalization are shaping the future. Gen Alpha's focus on safe, clean products is driving market trends.

68% of consumers seek clean beauty products, with 41% influenced by Instagram. Skin Match Technology's Clean Beauty Icons help brands meet this demand by providing transparency on ingredients and ethical practices. This boosts consumer trust and e-commerce metrics, driving growth in the clean beauty market.

DMEXCO 2024 showcased AI's practical applications, retail media's growth, and the shift to cookieless solutions. Key trends included AI-driven transformation, the rise of retail media, and the importance of first-party data. The event emphasized collaboration, transparency, and the evolving landscape of digital marketing, highlighting innovation and future opportunities.

Sephora's expansion in the Middle East, starting in 2007, has fostered growth for indie beauty brands like Huda Beauty and Fable & Mane. The region's unique market dynamics and cultural nuances offer significant opportunities for brands willing to invest in understanding and adapting to local preferences.

Brand websites remain crucial for the golden quarter, driving engagement and sales, according to Visualsoft's research. While social media is growing in importance, targeting the right consumers is essential. Newsletters and nostalgic Christmas ads also play significant roles, with nearly half of consumers driven by nostalgia.