The Beauty Category Is Only Scratching Its Community’s Potential
Looking at the beauty category today and comparing it to even a decade ago makes clear that a lot has changed. That change, led by shifting consumer demographics and brands’ evolution, is in a paradoxical flux. More calls than ever are made to ban retouching, do away with the high-glamour aspiration represented by voiceless models, and showcase a diverse cast of people in line with our diverse populations. So how are brands and agencies navigating this shifting and complex landscape? LBB – in association with SHORTFILMS, a production company with a beauty specialism – is looking into this in an ongoing series: The Beauty Spot. We will be asking some of the industry’s experts the burning questions surrounding the new rules of beauty marketing and the strategy they’re using to lead – not follow – in this space.
SHORTFILMS’ director Stephen Mead and producer Holly Hartley add, "Teaming up with LBB has given us the opportunity to explore what other industry leaders feel about the portrayal of ‘beauty’ in the changing world we are now working in. It’s a time of flux with conflicting ideals sometimes leading to some messy compromises. It’s time to appraise the successes and failures of the past and develop a new path forward.”
Today, LBB speaks to Brian Vaughan, executive creative director and partner at the New York-based agency, SHADOW. Brian notes how the rise of social media and user-generated content has radically shifted what consumers are demanding from brands and the kind of aesthetic trends that those brands must now reflect back. Perfection is no longer a selling point as it presents a narrow ideal that the modern beauty consumer simply doesn't find relevant. Moreover, a more holistic view of beauty has emerged; one that focuses on wellness and internal beauty alongside the exterior.
At SHADOW, Brian is also seeing increasing opportunities to bridge the gap between beauty and entertainment like in the ‘Judge Beauty’ spot for e.l.f. Cosmetics, featuring the iconic TV star, Judge Judy, and several cast members from the legal TV drama ‘Suits’, which aired during this year’s Super Bowl. “When you begin to see beauty as accessible and inclusive as entertainment, it’s clear there isn’t an event or conversation [where] it doesn’t belong,” says Brian.
Below, Brian elaborates on where the beauty category is today, finding opportunities in previously non-traditional spaces (like sporting events), and why SHADOW likes to push beauty brands outside of their comfort zones.
LBB> Beauty as a category has seriously broadened its appeal in the last few years - and grown its market share too. It now has a comfortable presence at the Super Bowl, like the ‘Judge Beauty’ spot that you created. Can you talk us through what you think has changed and led to this cultural moment?
Brian> Certainly social media has a huge role to play in beauty’s broadened appeal. It’s made it democratised for everyone, as more than anything, it’s become a means of self-expression. With such a huge opportunity on the front-lines of social media, we continue to find more and more ways to lens beauty through entertainment… and when you begin to see beauty as accessible and inclusive as entertainment, it’s clear there isn’t an event or conversation [where] it doesn’t belong.
To fulfil that mission, it’s always been important in our creative process to consider new, unexpected pockets of culture where beauty can show up – representing the beauty audience even in spaces traditionally dominated by male-focused advertising.
LBB> What are the opportunities for beauty with a sporting event like the Super Bowl? Should more beauty brands be trying to broach ‘non-traditional’ beauty spaces with their campaigns?
Brian> Sporting events are historically overlooked but when you look at the numbers, they offer unparalleled reach and visibility. Almost half of the audience is women. At such a large scale, it’s not just an opportunity to market a product, it’s an opportunity to speak directly to the community and say ‘we see you’. This was a key factor in e.l.f.’s decision to create their first-ever commercial spot in 2023 with us, recognising the community’s cult fandom on TikTok surrounding its PowerGrip Primer.
This year, e.l.f. brought beauty to the largest single-day sporting event in the world, becoming the first-ever beauty brand to serve as a primary sponsor of an entry in the Indianapolis 500. The brand sponsored the only female racer, Katherine Legge, further pushing their mission to empower women athletes who are breaking barriers and testing the limits. Their various partnerships with bold women in sports, including tennis legend Billie Jean King and paralympics star Anastasia Pagonis, continue to pave the way for not only female empowerment but for the expansion of beauty representation on new stages.
Expanding beyond the typical beauty realm creates an opportunity for brands to push creative boundaries, leveraging new territories and worldviews to create a differentiated story for consumers.
LBB> The beauty category has – until very recently – used fantasy and aspiration in order to sell. When did this start to change and what was behind the change, in your opinion? How should beauty brands be responding to the period of redefined aspiration?
Brian> The beauty industry's traditional reliance on fantasy and aspiration began to shift dramatically around the late 2000s and early 2010s. Before then, the way beauty was portrayed was unobtainable, ‘perfect’, and something that set unrealistic expectations and standards. This changed in part due to:
- The rise of social media: Platforms like Instagram and YouTube gave consumers unprecedented access to behind-the-scenes glimpses of the beauty industry, pulling the curtains back to expose the often-edited and idealised reality.
- Increasing diversity and inclusivity: Consumers began demanding representation of a wider range of beauty standards, challenging the narrow ideals perpetuated by traditional advertising.
- Growing emphasis on self-care and mental health: A broader focus on inner beauty and holistic wellness emerged, shifting the emphasis from external appearance to overall self-care.
Today, consumers are much more likely to be loyal to a beauty brand that leans into authenticity, and shows that they are for everyone - not just a small subsect of people striving for perfection. e.l.f. Cosmetics is an excellent example of a beauty brand that has successfully navigated this shift by throwing out traditional marketing and creating relatable, community-driven brand values that drive affordability, inclusivity and accessibility.
LBB> The beauty category is always going to be led by and associated with images – can the industry ever get to a point where the beauty image isn’t in some ways normative and/or idealising?
Brian> There is definitely a growing movement towards redefining these beauty norms by embracing and celebrating diversity, as well as leaning into authenticity rather than perfection.
Brands are increasingly challenging traditional ideals, broadening the definition of beauty to be more inclusive and accessible – and that means adapting its tone to meet the moments where it shows up.
We’re seeing it reflected in campaigns that focus on self-love, self-empowerment, and celebrating natural beauty. I’d also argue that entertainment and humour should continue to be foundations upon which beauty marketing can be built. It shows beauty doesn’t have to take itself so seriously – and any image you do see, you should take with a grain of salt.
LBB> First there was the conversation around airbrushing/retouching, then one about Instagram filters. Now, the industry is contending with AI. What are your thoughts on how a modern beauty brand should navigate these conversations?
Brian> We’ve spoken quite a bit about this paradigm shift in beauty away from perfection and fantasy and into the realm of authenticity. AI is undoubtedly powerful. I'm a firm believer that AI shouldn’t and can’t replace the magical things that make us human, like creativity.
LBB> Can you share a little bit more about your own work within the beauty category - how are you helping brands like e.l.f. navigate this space? What kind of considerations do you have in mind when you’re working with beauty brands?
Brian> Every brand is different, of course, but particularly with e.l.f., we’re always prioritising disruption and speed. Navigating this space requires a multifaceted approach, staying ahead of industry trends, remaining deeply connected to the brand's community (which oftentimes commands those trends), all while leaving room for a few wildcards.
We've prioritised consumer-centric strategies by actively connecting with and listening to the community, ensuring that we understand their needs and create work that is both relatable and admirable. Additionally, understanding the brand’s identity and values is crucial to ensure that all efforts align with and enhance their core messaging. Finally, acting on cultural moments is also essential, as it allows us to tap into the now, bring brands into important conversations and help them stay relevant and ahead of the curve in a dynamic industry.
Last but not least, we are always thinking about how to push brands just a little outside their historical norms in order to meet the moment on social, whether that’s by letting Nicole Richie have a raucous ‘night in’ with a bottle service order from Estée Lauder or creating an entire ‘major league’ for a moisturiser for Tatcha.
LBB> In the past, beauty brands – and the creatives behind them – were instrumental in creating and disseminating beauty ideas and narratives but the landscape has changed to include more of a user-led angle. Are brands and agencies creating aesthetic/beauty trends today or are they responding to trends?
Brian> Brands are most definitely not creating beauty trends in a vacuum. User-led influence manifests in so many different areas of creative development and trendsetting, from influencing the production innovation pipeline itself, to influencing which influencers actually appear in campaigns, to shaping what entire elements of the campaign look like and how they show up on social. And I think that just scratches the surface of the community’s potential.
LBB> Gen z and gen alpha have a very different attitude towards beauty and its representation in media to other generations. Do you think that that is the case and the perception of beauty is really shifting for them?
Brian> Seeing diverse representation is critical for younger generations. They celebrate individuality and don’t conform to the notion that there is one beauty standard. These generations are drawn to brands that are real, authentic and are values-driven, and they are 100% contributing to an evolving representation of beauty more broadly and an evolution of standards.
LBB> What do you think the future holds for beauty advertising? Are there any changes you would like to personally see?
Brian> The future of beauty is bright (and glowy). I think we’ll continue to see the industry reach new heights as a bastion for culture – alongside entertainment, sports, music, and more. In that growth and evolution, its imperative representation keeps pace, as we expect the community to continue being instrumental in shaping how brand’s operate, create, market and impact the world.
