In 30 seconds:
- Gen Z is disrupting the beauty industry. They’re a generation with very specific taste – and high expectations for brands to meet.
- They also distrust traditional advertising methods, so makeup ads aimed at this audience must take into account a more modern approach.
- Leveraging the right platform is key to securing Gen Z. We know how, and where, to find them – and we’re detailing the top tips for makeup ads below.
In the past, beauty brands launching new makeup advertisement campaigns had an advert playbook to follow. There’d be a celebrity endorsement and probably a focus on traditional advertising.
Those iconic makeup ads served as cultural touchstones. Everyone can think of a L’Oreal, Revlon, Lancome or Mac cosmetics advertisement that inspired them – or a Dior, Gucci or Chanel TV campaign that was emblematic of luxury and beauty itself.
But Gen Z aren’t so hooked by this. Unlike millennials, the majority of Gen Z cite social media as the place they go to for inspiration, from hairstyles to beauty products – and far more.
And when they’re looking for beauty products, Gen Z are more likely to buy a product that’s recommended by a social influencer.
Going further
Gen Z also has different requirements of the brands whose products they buy.
76% of Gen Z state that diversity and inclusion is an important topic for brands to address. 68% stated that they expect brands to contribute to society. They’re knowledgeable about the practices of companies, and unafraid to challenge hypocrisy.
Their collective appetite for responsible consumerism means that brands should focus on marketing their ethics as well as their products if they want to impress Gen Z.
An example of a makeup brand getting this right is Sephora. Their Black Lives Matter pledge to dedicate 15% of shelf space to black-owned brands made headlines for all the right reasons. Sephora more than lived up to this promise, and is building on its commitments. You can read more about this here.
Where can I advertise my makeup brand?
It’s time to rip up the usual ads template. Instead, if brands want to attract the attention of Gen Z, the place to begin is TikTok. Of course you’ll still find makeup ads on Instagram, YouTube and elsewhere, but TikTok is Gen Z’s favourite social media platform. It should be your priority.
We go into more detail about Gen Z on TikTok – why they love it, and what the platform’s success can tell you about Gen Z – in our article here.
TikTok is well-suited to makeup tutorial content as well as peer-to-peer marketing. Makeup artists and makeup enthusiasts can generate as much buzz around an eyeliner, nail polish or foundation as a global brand.
TikTok’s short-form video functionality also appeals to Gen Z’s notoriously short attention spans. TikTok can get your brand in front of users in a way they’ll love – just as long as you nail your ad campaign.
The power of influencers in makeup ads
Peer-to-peer makeup advertising is most definitely ‘in’. Global spending on influencer marketing is expected to reach $15billion in 2022. Almost half of Gen Z have made a purchase based on an influencer recommendation.
With such an array of beauty influencers to choose from, influencer marketing has opened the door for more diverse makeup advertising.
From micro-influencers to big names with million-strong followings, more beauty brands are turning to social gurus to market their products. And while vintage makeup ads focussed on the lifestyle associated with an item, influencer-created content is frequently more conspiratorial.
These ads list skincare benefits, run through makeup looks, or offer up a review of a product or brand. It’s messaging that resembles advice from a friend.
In fact, these marketing campaigns often don’t look like ads at all.
That’s precisely why they’re so effective. When it comes to reaching customers, influencers were signposted as the “most trustworthy” source of product information (whereas company advertisements were ranked the least).
If you want to find the right influencer to promote your brand, we’re experts at that. Talk to us about how we can help you manage your influencer campaign.
5 of the best makeup ads for Gen Z
From the big name sellers to small businesses, we’re breaking down five of our favourite makeup advertisement examples to figure out why they work so well:
@alxcext Testing #MaxFactor Facefinity All Day Flawless Foundation! What do we think?? 👀 I kinda love it more after wearing it all day?! #Facefinity #AD
1. Max Factor
Max Factor launched their #Facefinity campaign on TikTok with the help of several beauty influencers. They were tasked with performing “all day wear tests” to advertise the long-lasting effects of the brand’s newest foundation.
The result was a hashtag with over 300k views. The series of review-style videos highlighted many of the buzzwords beauty TikTokers are known to look for: SPF content, primer, and product longevity. The best part? The ads fit seamlessly amongst the TikTokers’ usual content, so they read as authentic and trustworthy to their followers.
@daniellemarcan this is your sign to get the @maybelline sky high mascara #SKYHIGHMASCARA #MAYBELLINE #ad
2. Maybelline
Readers of Glossy would be unsurprised to see Maybelline continuing to rank first in a breakdown of Gen Z’s top beauty brands.
Their makeup ads strategy saw success as a TikTok campaign sold out their Sky High Mascara multiple times in 2020 – with several sponsored posts going viral with views in their millions. The reason it was so successful? The trend was easy for users to get involved with. Since TikTok’s beauty community loves a review-style video, many TikTokers were keen to participate and duet their own eyelash results.
@jamescharles eyes lips face... **waist 😇 #makeup #fyp #transformation
3. e.l.f. Cosmetics
Perhaps the original trendsetter beauty brand on TikTok, e.l.f Cosmetics were one of the first to jump into the Gen Z content pool. They nailed their makeup ads strategy. After quickly figuring out that marketing on TikTok is all about the trends, the beauty brand launched their own song which quickly went viral.
‘Eyes. Lips. Face.’ hit 1 billion views in less than a week. Proof that embracing the vibe of the social platform can lead to great results with fun-loving Gen Z audiences.
A quarter of Gen Z have said they’d promote a brand they felt involved with in some way. Providing a chance for your audience to collaborate with you is sure to boost your brand engagement and customer loyalty.
@starface i love all gunk videos 🌟💛 #fyp #starface #foryoupage
4. Starface
One reason behind Starface’s successful Gen Z makeup ads marketing strategy is their “real” skin. The brand’s central product, a star-shaped hydrocolloid pimple patch, turns traditional embarrassment into celebration.
This makeup ad for Gen Z works because when asked what they wanted to see most in ads, the majority of Gen Z want to see “someone like me”. Gen Z want to relate to the ads they encounter – and see people like them celebrated.
This generation of consumers isn’t interested in the airbrushed perfection we’ve been used to seeing from beauty ads. They want natural beauty, and Starface is giving it to them in spades.
@avani oct 3rd: 🧸🏡 @nyxcosmetics #NyxCosmeticsPartner #dollhousechallenge #ad
5. NYX
Feeling spooky? In October 2020, NYX popped up over everyone’s For You pages with their Halloween #DOLLHOUSECHALLENGE.
The hashtag challenge – which encouraged users to create creepy Halloween looks using the brand’s products – was undertaken over 650,000 times. TikTokers jumped on the opportunity to showcase their theatrical makeup skills.
By leveraging an opportunity for their followers to get creative – something Gen Z loves about TikTok, by the way – NYX became the most viewed beauty brand in the UK over Halloween. Not bad for a hashtag.
@sim0nemurphy using my favs from @freckbeauty 🌞 #makeup #fyp #xycba #homemeans #summer #blush #freckles
Want to read more about the beauty brands forging new paths to advertise to Gen Z? Check out our report on the challenger beauty brands on TikTok here.
Makeup ads: lessons for brands
Last year saw yet another rise in the popularity of social channels like TikTok. There were similar rises in overall marketing spend on influencers – and this was no coincidence. When marketing towards Gen Z, brands need to embrace the generation’s preference for peer-to-peer advertising and “fun” content that doesn’t look like the traditional ads they’ve grown to distrust.
For beauty brands, this means that makeup ads should look different. Just like the brands detailed above, trying reviews, challenges, and even songs can prove a much more effective way of engaging with Gen Z.
Want to learn more? Get in touch – we’re ready to help launch your brand into the eyes of Generation Z.
If you’re looking for more reading, we have a whole heap more insights available below:
