What have you done as a brand to be top of mind and considered first? Beauty brands turn to Erica Solomon, Beauty Director, Customer Experience Partnerships at Brandshare to make sure that they stand out in a sea of sameness at retail.
Like many industries, beauty is heavily trend-driven and independent brands are on the rise. The competition is fierce. On this episode of Happy Marketer Connection, hear how Erica helps brands increase product trial and brand loyalty and learn how the beauty industry is staying in step with fast-changing consumer needs.
Hear the top beauty trends and how changing consumer habits are impacting development, the vital role product sampling has in driving trial and loyalty, alternatives to in-store sampling, and some growing beauty brands to keep your eye on.
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To listen on Spotify click here.
Episode Highlights
- Intro
- [0:15] Sue Frech, Happy Marketer Connection, Vesta
- [0:40] Erica Solomon, Beauty Director, Customer Experience Partnerships at Brandshare
- Sue Frech interviewing Erica Solomon on BEAUTY TRENDS
- [1:44] Beauty
- [1:49] Podcast
- [1:53] Icebreaker: What was Erica’s most memorable beauty trend growing up?
- [3:10] What is Brandshare and what is Erica’s role?
- [3:21] eCommerce, Customer Loyalty
- [3:30] Retailers, Walmart, Food Lion, Lowe’s
- [3:52] Walmart Beauty Box, Sampling
- [4:06] CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods)
- [4:20] Surprise & Delight, Open Rate
- [5:12] How have beauty trends changed during the pandemic?
- [5:31] CES (Consumer Electronics Show)
- [5:55] Artificial Nails
- [6:22] Wellness, Green Movement, Unboxing
- [6:34] GEM Vitamins, Apple iPhone
- [7:04] Men’s Beauty, Zoom
- [8:21] What other beauty trends are surprising?
- [8:31] Fur
- [9:08] Rachel Braun Scherl on Happy Marketer Connection
- [9:44] Where does Erica go for beauty inspiration?
- [9:56] James Charles, Nikkie de Jager
- [10:28] Influencers
- [10:32] BeautyMatter
- [10:44] l.f., Clinique
- [11:12] Bali Body
- [12:00] Credo CEO Dawn Dobras on Happy Marketer Connection
- [12:26] What brands are doing gender-neutral well?
- [12:48] Stryx, War Paint., bluemercury
- [13:32] Chanel Men’s, SKUs (Stock Keeping Units), James Charles for CoverGirl
- [14:23] Photoshop
- [15:03] Big-Box Retailers
- [15:07] Why do people buy beauty products at drug stores?
- [15:27] CVS, Duane Reade, Target
- [15:43] Ulta
- [16:15] Prestige Channel, Mass Channel
- [17:03] Community Powered Marketing delivers a new world of sales growth. Learn more at Vesta-Go.com
- [17:32] What startup beauty brands should we keep an eye on?
- [17:39] CLOVE + HALLOW
- [18:41] Direct-to-Consumer (DTC)
- [18:46] Ritual Vitamins
- [19:28] What can make or break a startup beauty brand?
- [19:37] Social Media
- [20:12] Marketing Mix
- [20:48] Online Communities
- [21:18] hello products friendly founder Craig Dubitsky on Happy Marketer Connection
- [21:02] What differentiates Ulta and Sephora?
- [22:18] Sephora Beauty Advisor
- [23:49] What are alternatives to in-store demos?
- [25:12] Survey, Facebook Messenger
- [25:33] Digital Touchpoints
- [25:52] Question from the Smiley360 community: How do brands decide who receives a sample?
- [26:32] OLAY
- [27:14] Marketing
- [27:33] Target Demographic
- [27:42] Spray and Pray
- [28:01] What positive story does Erica have to share?
- [28:21] Make-A-Wish
- [28:52] Nonprofit
- [30:12] Lindsay Stein on Happy Marketer Connection
- [30:52] What sport and position did Erica play as a student athlete in college?
- [31:22] What final thoughts does she have?
- [31:40] Verticals, Fashion
- Outro
- [32:14] Connect with Erica at Brandshare.US
- [32:54] Thank you for listening! Subscribe to Happy Marketing Connection on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more
- [33:02] Connect with Sue on LinkedIn or Twitter at @SueFrech, and Vesta-Go.com
- Theme Song: Hello (Extended Version) – Paul Werner – provided by Jamendo
About the Happy Marketer Connection Podcast
Erica Solomon, Beauty Director, Customer Experience Partnerships, Brandshare
Erica is a beauty industry guru. With a background of experience at brands such as Estée Lauder and Glossybox, she now helps beauty brands shine among the rest and achieve brand loyalty in her role at Brandshare.
Host: Sue Frech, Founder and CEO, Vesta
Sue has spent her career redefining digital marketing in brand and retail marketing, Martech, and advertising, at brands such as Kraft and Glaxo-SmithKline. She is committed to creating fellow Happy Marketers through Vesta’s all-in-one online community building software, transforming the relationships between brands and consumers with Community Powered Marketing.