Capstone Booklet Sydney Jones FASM 430
Table of Contents 3-4: Introduction & Overview 5-7: What is Clean Beauty? 8-13: Market for Clean Beauty 14-15: Sephora Company Background 16-17: Customer Research 18-23: SWOT 24-27: Market Trends 28-35: Customer Research & Target Customer 36-41: Location Research 42-55: Merchandising & Brands 56-59: Event Speakers 60-69: Influencers 70-78: Event Overview 79-93: Promotion/ Marketing Materials 94-95: Final Thoughts 96-97: Sources
Objectives Clean beauty event for Sephora. Sephora does not have a specially merchandised clean beauty section of their brick and mortar retail spaces. Exploring & developing an effective way to educate Sephora’s consumer base on the importance and relevance of clean beauty. 2-month long installation in 2 selected Sephora locations which showcases clean makeup and skincare. When the installation begins, there will also be special events that feature clean beauty experts sharing information and importance surrounding clean beauty, as well product demonstrations and makeovers.
Goals Goal I: To inform Sephora’s consumers about why clean beauty is important and its relevance to their everyday beauty routines. I aim to start a positive, fun dialogue about this crucial topic. Goal II: To allow a more prominent space for clean beauty in a market as mainstream as Sephora. This event will inspire consumers to become more knowledgeable and well versed about the products they use every day.
Why Clean Beauty? Clean beauty is crucial for the consumer to understand and be aware of. An article from Goop discusses how the beauty industry is currently seriously unregulated. Companies can use toxic ingredients including carcinogens and endocrine disruptors. Furthermore, companies can even use terms such as “natural” or “green” that do not require a scientific explanation or definition. Beauty products should not use any ingredients that cause harmful health effects. If more consumers were aware of the importance of clean beauty products and where they can purchase them, then nontoxic products can become the new standard. Presenting clean beauty products in a visually pleasing, easy to understand way will engage customers. Offering these nontoxic products also increases brand loyalty, and communicates to the consumer that the brand cares. Consumers deserve to know if the products they are buying are harmful to their health. By creating a positive, fun event surrounding the importance of clean beauty, consumers will pay more attention to the ingredients in their makeup and skincare, which can therefore give clean beauty a more prominent position in the mainstream market.
The Facts: What is Clean Beauty? Clean beauty is a non-toxic product that is made without ingredients that are connected to harmful health effects. Some of these health issues can be hormone disruption, cancer, and skin irritation.
1,328 Number of chemical cosmetic ingredients banned by the EU
11
Number of chemical cosmetic ingredients banned in the U.S.
Some of these harmful ingredients: parabens, phthalates, PEGS, ethanolamines, chemical sunscreens, synthetic fragrance, BHT, BHA. Via EUR-Lex and FDA.gov
The Clean Beauty Market According to Grand View Research, the Natural and Organic Beauty Market is expected to reach $22 billion by 2024. Grand View Research announced that the global organic beauty market was likely to reach $15.98bn by 2020. Consumers are looking for and demanding natural and organic labels. Skincare maintains the largest share of the global organic beauty market, and is expected to emerge the most attractive segment with 30.9% share by 2024
According to Formula Botanica, the continuous and impressive growth of the global natural and clean cosmetics and personal care product market is driven by factors such as the expansion of distribution channels, increasing online customer reach, and modern retailers’ shift towards offering premium cosmetics and personal care products Moreover, new product development, advertisements, and increasing spending capacity of consumers on premium products are primary driving factors in the overall growth of the global natural cosmetics and personal care products market.
Global market value for natural cosmetics from 2007-2017 (in billion USD) 14.8 13.7
This graph to the right from Statista is included in a study called, “Natural and Organic Cosmetics in the U.S.� This graph particularly highlights the global market value for natural cosmetics from the years 2007-2017, in billion U.S. dollars. As depicted, the natural cosmetics market grew from $6.8 billion in 2007 to $14.8 billion in 2017.
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Over the course of ten years, the market for natural cosmetics more than doubled with roughly a 217% growth. From these facts and figures, the natural cosmetics market grew exponentially. Moreover, each year it grew rather stably, it never declined or plateaued. Clearly this market is securely growing as time progresses. 2007
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Forecasted market size of the natural and organic beauty industry in 2016 and 2024 (in billion USD)
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This graph to the left is also from the Statista study, “Natural and Organic Cosmetics in the U.S.� This graph shows the size of the natural and organic beauty industry in 2016 and 2024, in billion U.S. dollars. This graph depicts what the size of the market was in 2016, as well as forecasts what it will look like five years from now in 2024. The global market size in 2016 was $11.06 billion according to this graph. It is projected to grow to $21.6 billion in 2024. The market size is forecasted to nearly double over the course of eight years. By 2024, the global market size of natural and organic cosmetics is expected to be a nearly $22 billion industry worldwide, making it a major force in the overall cosmetics market.
Sephora is a beauty chain that offers cosmetics, fragrance, skincare, bath and body, and hair care products through retail stores and online.
According to Craft, Sephora’s estimated revenue: $4 B in 2013. Sephora’s parent company is LVMH which does not disclose its financial performances.
According to Craft, Sephora operates approximately 2,300 stores in 33 countries worldwide
According to Sephora’s website, the company was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.
74% of Sephora shoppers were Millennials in 2016.
Distribution of female consumers who shop at Sephora in the United States in 2016, by age group 80%
Sephora is a beauty chain that offers cosmetics, fragrance, skincare, bath and body, and hair care products through retail stores and online. According to a graph from Statista that shows the sare of Sephora consumers in the U.S. 2016, by age group, 74% of shoppers were millennials. Furthermore, 43% of shoppers were 18-24 years old. From these facts, I focused further research on millenials who purchase clean beauty specifically, since these are Sephora’s primary customers.
74%
70% 60% 50%
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31%
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18-24 years
25-34 years
35-54 years
Millennials
Strengths: Sephora maintains a highly cohesive brand image across its channels and use consistent marketing messages. Sephora has a high value brand perception in consumers’ minds. Sephora has an effective in store atmosphere with well dressed, knowledgeable staff. Customers are allowed to try out products with the assistance of staff who are trained and informed on many beauty techniques and facts.
S WOT
Sephora offers a wide range of various brands, (nearly 200 of them) and operates at over 700 store locations. The brand also has its own private label, Sephora Collection, which is priced more accessible than most of the other brands offered in Sephora. Lastly, Sephora exclusively sells Fenty Beauty by Rihanna, which according to WWD, is on track to surpass Kylie Cosmetics’ sales. Sephora’s highly interactive website is easy to navigate and offers unique options such as the Beauty Talk section which connects the customers to each other and to makeup professionals. Sephora’s website also gives customers the opportunity to browse upcoming events and keep up to date on the latest beauty trends.
Weaknesses: Sephora’s pricing varies depending on the brand and the products can be unaffordable to some customers. Sephora’s key competitor, Ulta, offers a wider variety when it comes to pricing by carrying drugstore brands as well. Sephora’s being in the luxury segment elevates its brand perception but also causes the brand to be inaccessible to potential consumers.
Opportunities: There is promising forecasting for growth in the cosmetics industry. According to Market Watch, the cosmetics market is expected to grow $390 Billion USD globally by 2023. There is incredible opportunity in the cosmetics industry. According to Marketing91, people understand the need for different makeup for different skin types, for example. Also, people are more aware of the need for different makeup for certain occasions. People are experimenting with beauty now more than ever, and people are using it to express themselves. With this increasing popularity and sales in the cosmetics industry, this leaves room for opportunity when it comes to new product development, as consumers are willing and excited to try new beauty products.
Brand Positioning Map Threats: A key threat to Sephora is competition. There are many players in the beauty industry which can make differentiation difficult. Sephora’s main competitors include: Macy’s, Nordstrom, Ulta, and Lush.
Color Cosmetics Market Trends
A 2019 trend forecast from American Spa noted that in previous years, clean makeup colors tended to be more neutral and natural looking. However, now, consumers purchasing clean beauty are seeking colors that are bright, brilliant, and healthy. This market trend is crucial to remember and utilize when it comes to product assortment. Just because the makeup is clean and natural does not mean the products cannot come in bright and bold shades.
Streamlined Beauty Routines
Harper’s Bazaar published its predicted beauty trends for 2019, and named streamlined beauty routines one of them. In the past, the beauty community has promoted multi step skincare routines. However, it is predicted that 2019 will bring a more modest approach as people are adopting a more sustainable lifestyle in general. These multistep skincare routines such as Korea’s well known 10-step routine that has been adapted by the West. However, this lengthy routine is expected to be replaced with “skip-care,” a more streamlined approach to skincare, also known as a “skincare diet.” The West (the U.S. and UK) often follow Korea’s beauty trends. Overall due to this market trend, consumers are flocking to fewer products that work harder with hero ingredients such as green tea and vitamin E.
This mindful approach to skincare is an important market trend to be aware of for the Sephora Clean Beauty Event so that the event merchandises products with hero ingredients. Perhaps it is wise for this event to feature fewer skincare products that have reputations for being reliable and hardworking, rather than a wide variety of products that all perform different functions.
Who is Buying Clean Beauty? According to Fast Company, Clean and natural beauty products are now widely available in the mainstream marketplace, at retailers such as Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, Target, and drugstores.
Customer Research
As consumers are demanding beauty and self care products without harmful ingredients, retailers are making it easier for customers to purchase these products. Therefore, the consumers purchasing clean beauty products are no longer a small minority of people searching through their local health store to find these products, they are average consumers in mainstream markets who simply wants their beauty products to be nontoxic.
According to a Statista study that examined the share of “female U.S. Millenials who say they only buy all-natural beauty products in 2015, by category,” 32% of of the respondents said that they only buy all-natural skincare products. From this information that shares that nearly a third of female millennials who only buy all natural beauty products in 2015, the product assortment in Sephora’s Clean Beauty event will include a wide variety of skincare options. Furthermore, as previously discussed, the natural beauty market has grown over the years, (from $12.7 billion in 2015 to $14.8 billion in 2018), so this percentage has understandably increased since 2015.
According to a study conducted by Statista, 75% of women ages 18-34 say that buying natural beauty products is important to them.
Target Customer #1 nnon ShaSnhnaon
23 years old Lives in Newport Beach, CA Nutritionist, blogger Salary: $65k Cares about natural ingredients in products Goes to pilates, enjoys long hikes Drinks smoothies and green juices
Shannon encompasses a primary target customer profile for the Sephora Clean Beauty Event. She is 23 years old, a millenial, which is crucial since it was previously noted that 74% of Sephora’s customers were millennials as of 2016. Furthermore, it was also previously stated that 75% of women ages 18-34 find it important to purchase natural beauty products. Therefore, a millennial is the appropriate target market for this event. Shannon lives in Newport Beach, California, which is relevant since one of the two locations for this event will take place in Los Angeles. Shannon could easily drive to LA to pick up her favorite clean beauty products clearly and pleasingly merchandised, and stay for a speaker event or product demonstration. Shannon’s overall lifestyle aligns perfectly with the identity of the Sephora Clean Beauty Event. She values nutrition and exercise, and makes enough money to have a little extra to splurge on high quality products that are important to her.
Target Customer #2
n ma o m shann E
27 years old Lives in NYC Public Relations Manager Salary: $120k Passionate about makeup, uses it to express herself Always looking to try new makeup products Interested in clean beauty but does not really know where to start
Emma is another target customer for the Sephora Clean Beauty Event. She is 27 years old, also a millennial, which is the appropriate demographic for this event as explained with Target Customer 1. Emma is a professional woman making a higher salary. She lives a comfortable life and has the disposable income to purchase high quality beauty products. Emma lives in New York City, so she can easily visit the Sephora Clean Beauty Event in Brooklyn. Emma is a beauty guru and is passionate about makeup. She is always looking to try new products. Emma buys natural and organic food and cleaning products for her home, and is interested in learning more about clean beauty products. She is an appropriate example of a customer/attendee of the Sephora Clean Beauty Event as she is a consumer who is interested in clean beauty but would like to know more about the issue and which products are best.
Locations
The Sephora Clean Beauty Event will be occurring in two Sephora locations: Brooklyn and Los Angeles . These locations were thoughtfully selected in terms of foot traffic, as well as demographic and psychographic data. The Sephora Clean Beauty Event will only be taking place in two locations for a few reasons. One reason being that these locations are best for the demographics and psychographics of the target customer. Secondly, Sephora will use the data from the outcome of this event to determine whether it should extend the event or bring it back, or expand to additional locations. Lastly, since these two locations are located in populated metropolitan areas that are not too far from additional Sephora locations. It would be interesting to see if customers chose to come to the specific Sephora where the Clean Beauty Event was happening to experience it. Lastly, both locations are popular places for millenials to live and visit. This factor is crucial since it was previously stated that 74% of Sephora’s customers were millenials as 2016, and 75% of women ages 18-34 find it important to purchase natural beauty products.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY Studio store, smaller, more curated experience
According to Tapestry Segmentation from esri, Williamsburg, Brooklyn is made up of 48.8% Trendsetters, meaning individuals who are young, educated and value experiences. They have the income to spend on such experiences, love to dine out, discover new hobbies and local art. The median income is around $50k and the median age is around 31 years old. The demographic and psychographic information for this location lines up with the target customer for the Sephora Clean Beauty Event.
The Sephora in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is quite unique. This Sephora is a Sephora Studio store, which is a more curated experience. This type of Sephora is focused on assisting customers and offering advice. Customers can get mini makeovers without appointments, full makeovers with appointments, and attend beauty classes, and special events, and of course purchase products from major makeup brands. Since this store is focused on experiences, it will be perfect for the Sephora Clean Beauty Event, a place for customers to learn about clean beauty and experience the event and curated products.
The Grove, Los Angeles Popular upscale, outdoor mall
The Grove in Los Angeles is located in the neighborhood between Fairfax and La Brea. According to Tapestry Segmentation from esri, this neighborhood is made up of 41.8% “Metro Renters.” Metro Renters are young, mobile and educated. Their income goes toward fashion, rent, and the latest technology. The median income is around $78k, and the median age is around 35. This demographic and psychographic information align with the target customer for the Sephora Clean Beauty Event.
The Sephora at The Grove in Los Angeles is a large, traditional Sephora. The Grove Los Angeles is an upscale, outdoor shopping mall that has high foot traffic. Due to this shopping mall’s popularity, The Grove would be a wise location for the Sephora Clean Beauty Event. More foot traffic means more customers in the store to experience the event. Furthermore, this foot traffic is appropriate since the demographics and psychographics for this location align with the event’s target customer. Lastly, Sephora’s location at The Grove in LA is already a popular location for Sephora events and parties.
The Grove, Los Angeles
Concept For the Sephora Clean Beauty Event, the specific section of the store with the clean beauty products will look different than how the rest of Sephora is merchandised. While Sephora’s existing product merchandising is effective and aesthetically sleek and pleasing, the Clean Beauty Event should not follow the same black and white color scheme.
Merchandising
Sephora Clean Beauty Event should utilize colors that complement the clean beauty theme more effectively. The products will be merchandised with wooden shelving as opposed to glossy black and white. The wood will give a more natural feel to the space. Also, special signage will be used on the shelving units featuring the Sephora Clean Beauty logo. Overall, the Sephora Clean Beauty Event should not completely clash with the rest of the store, but should have a more natural, earthy, clean aesthetic.
Inspiration
To the left are some inspiration photos for the merchandising of the Sephora Clean Beauty Event. These photos use elements such as wood and wooden accents, white details and product arrangements that are not too crowded. The Sephora Clean Beauty Event should utilize similar features when it comes to merchandising.
The render to the left depicts what the shelving and product arrangement will look like in store for the Sephora Clean Beauty Event. As shown, the unit will be white with wooden accents to give off a natural feel. The Sephora Clean Beauty logo will be featured on the unit three dimensionally and slightly illuminated, to catch customers’ eyes. The clean beauty products will be arranged in a neat manner to maintain the clean and simplistic aesthetic. The display will not be overwhelmed with too much product. The large wooden drawers at the bottom of the shelving unit provide storage for extra product.
The render to the left shows a different shelving unit for the merchandising for the Sephora Clean Beauty Event. This unit is slightly different and than the first one, and can stand alone like an island. Like the first unit, this one utilizes light wood and white accents to evoke a natural vibe. Some products are shown in the render for reference, which shows that the product arrangement will not be too overwhelming or crowded.
As far as logistics are concerned, the stores will have to be rearranged slightly to accommodate these new merchandising units for the Sephora Clean Beauty Event. Most of the brands and products being showcased at the Sephora Clean Beauty Event are already carried at Sephora, amongst nonclean beauty brands and products. A major goal of the Sephora Clean Beauty Event is to offer a clear, specially merchandised section of the store dedicated to clean beauty, making it easier to consumers to shop these clean products.
Merchandising Logistics & Considerations
To accomplish this, the clean beauty brands will have to move to the new, special section of these Sephora locations. Once the special product display units are installed, Sephora will need to make up for this new shift of of retail space to still accommodate for all of its remaining brands and products. This issue can be solved by taking the brands and products that were located where the Sephora Clean Beauty Event now occupies and moving them to where the clean beauty brands used to be merchandised before this new section of the store was implemented. Overall, with some rearranging, these Sephora locations can accommodate both the Sephora Clean Beauty Event and the rest of Sephora’s product selection.
The Sephora Clean Beauty Event will obviously use exclusively clean makeup and skincare products in its product assortment. These makeup and skincare products will be existing products available either at Sephora retail locations or online. Sephora already offers a wide selection of clean beauty. The purpose of this event is to put it all nicely in one place, and to educate consumers and intrigue them into buying clean beauty.
Product Assortment
Clean Makeup Brands:
Clean Skincare Brands:
Event Speakers
The Sephora Clean Beauty Event will feature two speakers to generate buzz for the event, educate consumers, and offer product demonstrations. Education is key when it comes to clean beauty, as many customers still do not know the facts. Qualified speakers who are leaders in the clean beauty industry will legitimize the event and provide consumers/attendees with relevant information. Including these speaker events also offers a sense of community within the community, providing a place for Sephora customers to gather together, learn about clean beauty, and try out products.
Event Speaker #2: Jessa Blades
Event Speaker #1: Tiffany Masterson
Jessa Blades is a celebrity makeup artist, natural beauty expert, and herbalist based in Brooklyn and Los Angeles. Blades was inspired by true healing and wellness, and wanted to help people heal their imbalances instead of hiding them.
Tiffany Masterson is the founder of the rapidly growing skincare company, Drunk Elephant. Masterson founded her company on the basis that “a product is only as good as its worst ingredient.”
Blades leads private workshops regarding clean beauty and strives to bring the message of self care and empowerment to the conversation of natural beauty. Blades’ experience, expertise, and proximity to both of Sephora’s Beauty Event locations makes her a perfect speaker to educate consumers on clean beauty and offer product demonstrations.
Before starting Drunk Elephant, Masterson was unable to find products without the “Suspicious 6,” which are ingredients that are harmful and dispruptive to skin health. Masterson is a perfect speaker for Sephora’s Clean Beauty Event since Sephora was the first retailer Masterson decided to sell Drunk Elephant at. Also, Masterson is obviously an expert and trailblazer in the field of clean beauty.
Event Speaker: Tiffany Masterson
Event Speaker: Jessa Blades
Jessa has been featured as one of Glamour magazine’s “70 Amazing EcoHeroes” and chosen as TreeHugger’s “Best Green Makeup Artist.” She has contributed to Vogue, The New York Times, Mind Body Green, Into the Gloss, Style.com, Well and Good, Natural Health, Organic Spa, and appeared on The Today Show.
Influencers
The Sephora Clean Beauty Event will partner with influencers who are a good fit for both Sephora as a brand and the Sephora Clean Beauty Event. Sephora will partner with four influencers who have impressively large followings on both Instagram and Youtube. Since the event will mainly target millenial women, the influencers will be of the same demographic as well. Moreover, as previously mentioned, since nearly half of Sephora’s customers are 18-24 years old, the selected influencers will be around this age group as well. Two influencers will be on the younger side of this age group, around 18-20 years old. Consequently, the remaining two influencers will be on the older side of this age group, around 24-26 years old. These influencers will promote the Sephora Clean Beauty Event, thus inspiring their followers to visit the event and learn more about clean beauty.
Influencers Youtube Subscribers: 368k Instagram Followers: 203k
t e n a l P e h t s i Er
Eris is an 18 year old Youtuber who posts videos about lifestyle, makeup and hair tutorials, and fashion. Her Instagram feed has a natural feel to it, which makes clean beauty not off brand for her. Eris has worked with Sephora before as an ambassador for Sephora Collection. The brand is already familiar with her, and equally her followers are well acquainted with Sephora. Eris promoting the Sephora Clean Beauty Event will inspire her followers to learn more about the importance of clean beauty and to attend the event. The Sephora Clean Beauty Event will partner with Eris and send her to both events in Los Angeles and Brooklyn. Eris will post Instagram stories, an Instagram post, and a vlog of the event. In her vlog and Instagram stories, she will be demonstrating some of the products at the event, as well as the event itself.
Influencers Youtube Subscribers: 384k Instagram Followers: 171k
e e L t o g Mar
Margot Lee is a 20 year old Youtuber who posts videos about college, fashion, health and beauty. She values health both for one’s body and the planet. Margot also has partnered with Sephora Collection for the past year, making her a good fit for both the brand and the event. The Sephora Clean Beauty Event will partner with Margot and send her to both events in Los Angeles and Brooklyn. Margot will post Instagram stories, an Instagram post, and a vlog of the event. In her vlog and Instagram stories, she will be demonstrating some of the products at the event, as well as the event itself. She will share with her followers and subscribers what The Sephora Clean Beauty Event is, and why clean beauty is important.
Influencers Youtube Subscribers: 402k Instagram Followers: 151k
e e L y Am
Amy is a 26 year old Youtuber and Instagram influencer. She is based in LA and posts videos on fashion, beauty, and body positivity. Her popular videos revolve around self care and confidence. Her videos have a spiritual, down to earth feel to them, which complements Sephora Clean Beauty well. Similar to Margot and Eris, Amy is already an ambassador for Sephora Collection. Amy and her followers are familiar with Sephora as a brand. She has a loyal following and her fans seem to truly value her opinions. The Sephora Clean Beauty Event will partner with Amy and she will attend the event in her home city of Los Angeles. Sephora will also send her to the event in Brooklyn . Eris will post Instagram stories, an Instagram post, and a vlog of the event. Since Amy’s sit down, conversational based Youtube videos are her most popular, Amy could post a video on the importance of and facts about clean beauty to her channel. In her vlog and Instagram stories, she will be demonstrating some of the products at the event, as well as the event itself.
Influencers Youtube Subscribers: 580k Instagram Followers: 225k
n o s i v a D a n a l l A
Allana is a 26 year old Toronto based Youtuber and Instagram influencer. She is most popular for her makeup tutorials and reviews. She has posted several videos of Sephora hauls, and clearly supports the brand. Allana has posted makeup tutorials using 100% clean beauty products. Therefore, both her and her followers are already familiar with clean beauty. Allana is not currently an ambassador for Sephora, but her platform and content are a good match for both Sephora as a brand and Sephora Clean Beauty as well. The Sephora Clean Beauty Event will partner with Allana and send her to both events in Los Angeles and Brooklyn. Allana will post Instagram stories, an Instagram post, and a vlog of the event. In her vlog and Instagram stories, she will be demonstrating some of the products at the event, as well as the event itself. Lastly, since her makeup tutorials are so popular, Allana will post a makeup tutorial entirely with products from the Sephora Clean Beauty Event.
Launch Party When: Thursday, April 11 What: Event Launch Party for both locations
Event Details & Breakdown April 11 - June 6
The launch parties for both locations are meant to be a positive, exciting gathering for clean beauty enthusiasts and beauty gurus alike to come together and celebrate the Sephora Clean Beauty Event. The purpose of the launch party is to start the two month long Sephora Clean Beauty Event off on the right foot. The launch party will be lively, educational, and appealing due to the speakers and influencers who will be attending. By having this launch party, this provides consumers with a fundamental understanding on what clean beauty is and why it is important. Additionally, influencers sharing their experience at the launch party on social media will inspire their followers to visit the event. Consumers who do not attend the launch party can enjoy the duration of the event by visiting the specially merchandised clean beauty section at these Sephora locations, and attend the second special event in May if they desire.
Launch Party Thursday, April 11
Tiffany Masterson will be the launch event special guest for Brooklyn, offering expertise and knowledge on clean beauty and her company, Drunk Elephant. The purpose of Tiffany’s presence and this launch party is to share with attendees why clean beauty is important and why Sephora cares.
Allana Davison and Margot Lee will attend the launch party in Brooklyn. Allana is an influencer on the older side of the influencer age range, and Margot is on the younger side. Thus, both influencers will attract their followers which is a wider audience reach than if the influencers were closer in age. Allana and Margot’s are as described in the influencers overview.
Launch Party Thursday, April 11
Jessa Blades will be the Los Angeles location launch event special guest. Jessa will also be sharing knowledge and expertise on what clean beauty is and why it is important. While Tiffany Masterson focused more on skincare, Jessa’s expertise and skills revolve around makeup and color cosmetics. Therefore, she will be giving demonstrations and makeovers to attendees with the clean makeup products, ie., how to use them and how to achieve certain looks.
Amy Lee and Eris the Planet will attend the launch party in Los Angeles. Amy is an influencer on the older side of the influencer age range, and Eris is on the younger side. Thus, both influencers will attract their followers which is a wider audience reach than if the influencers were closer in age. Amy and Eris’ are as described in the influencers overview.
....switch!
Special Event Thursday, May 2
Special Event When: Thursday, May 2 What: Halfway through the event’s duration, the event’s special guests and influencers will switch and attend the other location, offering attendees in both locations a chance to get the same experience.
Jessa Blades will be at the Brooklyn location of the Sephora Clean Beauty event sharing similar expertise, knowledge, and demonstrations she did at the Los Angeles launch party.
Influencers Eris the Planet and Amy Lee will be at the Brooklyn location for the second special event.
Special Event Thursday, May 2
Marketing Materials Tiffany Masterson will now visit the Los Angeles location sharing her wisdom on clean beauty and her reasoning why she started her own clean beauty company, Drunk Elephant.
Influencers Margot Lee and Allana Davison will be at the Los Angeles location for the second special event.
Overview Sephora has 16.9 million followers on Instagram. Therefore, the brand already reaches an extensive audience. Sephora often promotes its events, products, promotions and brands, on its Instagram page. Another promotion method Sephora utilizes is email blasts. Sephora frequently sends out emails to its customers regarding new products or events they might be interested in. This method is effective for including more information than an Instagram post could. Lastly, Sephora heavily uses in store signage. Sephora always has photos or graphics in its window displays as well as in the store. The window displays are particularly effective in enticing consumers in entering the store. Lastly, Sephora’s website landing page always has information and eye catching graphics about what is new in store or online. For the Sephora Clean Beauty Event, Instagram, email blasts, in store signage, and a website landing page will all be utilized to promote the event.
Instagram Inspiration For promotion on Instagram for the Sephora Clean Beauty Event, the posts will be simple, and entice followers to want to know more about the event. These posts will serve almost as teasers for the event. Visual inspiration for these posts include Sephora’s past posts featuring quotes. Glossier is also an appropriate source for inspiration for Instagram posts since the brand is skilled at teasing its followers with simple posts that leave them wanting more.
Email Inspiration
In Store Signage & Window Display Inspiration Sephora already has informative, visually appealing email blasts. To the left is an email promoting a holiday event. The email blast for the Sephora Clean Beauty Event will be similar aesthetic and content wise. The goal is to catch the reader’s eye when they open it so they keep scrolling for more information.
As previously stated, Sephora heavily utilizes window displays and in store signage. Above are some examples of Sephora’s window displays and in store signage to gauge roughly how Sephora Clean Beauty’s will look. Ultimately, the window displays and in store signage will utilize both photos and text.
Landing Page Inspiration Sephora’s landing pages are successful at being eye-catching and informative on either new products, events, or beauty trends. Sephora’s landing page will definitely follow similar tactics when promoting the Sephora Clean Beauty Event. The goal is to catch shoppers’ attention so that they want to know more about the event.
Instagram The first two mock Instagram posts are meant to tease the Sephora Clean Beauty Event to entice followers to click the link in the bio to learn more about the event. They are meant to be visually appealing, clean, and simplistic, similar to the inspiration images shown previously. The third mock Instagram post would be posted closer to when the event’s launch to intrigue followers in attending the event and learn more about the event’s details. The circular graphic on the photo mentions who Tiffany Masterson is, which will interest followers since Drunk Elephant is a trendy brand. Lastly, all Instagram posts use the #LetsCleanBeautyTogether hashtag. Sephora often uses the saying “Let’s Beauty Together” on social media. The saying is altered to accommodate the Sephora Clean Beauty Event while still being relevant and on brand.
Window Display This window display will be implemented in both locations where the Sephora Clean Beauty Event is occuring. This window display uses a beauty photo, which are commonly used for Sephora window displays. This window display also features a text graphic that will intrigue customers in entering the store to learn more about what the Sephora Clean Beauty Event is. It is simple and eye catching. This image also says “Products made without the ingredients you told you’d most like to avoid,” and uses the hashtag “LetsCleanBeautyTogether.” These details add more information to the window display to give customers some context, as well as incorporate social media.
Email Blast
The first image shows what the email blast will look like when it is first opened. The subject line “Something Clean is Coming” allows for the email to be consistent with the Instagram post as well as intrigue recipiants to want to open the email. It utilizes text and graphics to make it eye catching and interesting. The “learn more” icon leads to a web page that offers further information on the event. The same tagline that was seen in the window display is also used in the email blast to keep promotional materials consistent. The second image is what readers will see when they scroll down on the email. This part of the email shares which speakers and influencers will be attending the event, as well as the logistical information such as where and when.
Website Landing Page
Sephora’s website landing page will definitely promote the Sephora Clean Beauty Event. As shown to the left, the landing page will use the same Sephora Clean Beauty logo, tagline, and hashtag. At the bottom of the landing page provides information on the event to add context. To the right are three icons that take shoppers to learn more about the event, read what clean beauty is, and shop clean beauty directly on the website.
Summary & Final Thoughts
Overall, the Sephora Clean Beauty Event recognizes an opportunity the brand has to promote a market, clean beauty, that has shown significant growth, and is forecasted to keep expanding over the upcoming years. The purpose of this event is not to shame customers for using non-clean beauty products. However, it is to educate consumers about what clean beauty is and why it is important. Giving them a thoughtfully, specifically merchandised section of the Sephora store allows them to easily browse clean beauty products. This event is also not meant to put down the others brands that Sephora carries. The Sephora Clean Beauty event is all about education and positivity. Sephora is a major player in the cosmetics market. As clean beauty becomes more prominent and discussed, Sephora can seize this opportunity to embrace the trend rather than shying away from it. Ultimately, the Sephora Clean Beauty is effective due to its educational, positive mindset, aesthetically clean and pleasing in-store merchandising, effective promotional methods, and thoughtful speaker and influencer selections. After all, Sephora already hosts many of their own events, why not create one that helps its customers educate themselves on an important issue in the cosmetics industry?
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Special Thanks To:
Amy Yu for the interior renders.
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