Rhode's Strategic Launch in Australia: Mecca Partnership

When Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty in 2017 with 40 foundation shades on day one, the beauty industry had a collective “oh… we should’ve thought of that” moment. Before that, many brands were still launching with 10–15 shades and calling it a day. Rihanna didn’t just launch a beauty brand. She exposed a massive gap in the market. Within weeks, other beauty brands were scrambling to expand their shade ranges. Not because it suddenly became the right thing to do — but because it suddenly became very clear it was good business. Fenty reportedly generated $100M in sales in its first 40 days.That wasn’t just a product launch. That was a marketing masterclass. Here’s the takeaway for marketers: Too often brands think inclusion is a “nice to have.” Rihanna proved it can actually be your biggest competitive advantage. She didn’t try to serve everyone eventually. She built a brand by serving everyone from the start. And when you truly design for the full market, something interesting happens: Your brand stops being a niche… and becomes the new standard. Turns out Rihanna didn’t just drop hit songs… she dropped a marketing masterclass too. #MarketingStrategy #BrandBuilding #FentyBeauty #MarketingLessons #InclusiveMarketing

What separates the brands that make a splash in the press from the ones that last on her shelf? In a market flooded with celebrity-led beauty brands, she is well-equipped to spot the difference between a founder who earned her community and one who borrowed her audience. That's the whole game. Alix Earle sold out Reale Actives on day one. The anticipation marketing only worked because it came on the back of years she spent posting bare-faced, breaking out, with nothing to sell. By launch day, the community was already waiting. Rare Beauty is now a $2 billion company. Because before Selena Gomez sold a single unit, she too had spent years speaking openly: about her lupus, her kidney transplant, her mental health, in an industry that punishes women for exactly that kind of candor. Then look at the flip side. WYN BEAUTY by Serena Williams launched with one of the most recognizable athletes in the world behind it and is now facing an uncertain future. A beauty brand consultant observed, "She is not a credible reason to believe for this brand. Just because the packaging is eye-catching doesn’t mean the brand can stand the test of time without a meaningful and differentiated story.” No disrespect. Just a half-written story in the wrong category. JLo Beauty & Lifestyle exited Sephora's US stores three years after launching there. The community's verdict? "Everybody knows she's not using that." In this week's newsletter I break it all down, including what Serena and JLo could have built instead. Link in comments. That leads me to an exciting announcement: Next Play Creative's first client is officially live. 🎉 FORTA COSMETICS launched yesterday, a performance cosmetics brand co-founded by WNBA athlete Lexie Hull and beauty entrepreneur Sarah Guller, built around one truth: You don't have to sit still to look pretty. Lexie and Sarah have been living this. Lexie, integrating her glam as a form of self-expression on the court, and Sarah, going full speed in her corporate and social lives, both tired of inadequate product slowing them down. Translating earned authority to a moving story, and bringing it to life in a way she can feel, is exactly the work Next Play Creative was built to execute. More to come soon. 👀 #BrandStrategy #WomenInSports #Marketing #FemaleFounded

heritage isn't a hedge against rhode skin. if you’re sitting on a 50-year-old brand identity, you likely think your "premium" status is safe. The data says otherwise. celebrity brands aren't just selling makeup; they are selling "status accessories." When Hailey Bieber turns a lip tint into a lifestyle piece that clips onto a phone case, she's not just winning on marketing.... she’s redefining the value proposition. Consumers are choosing cultural alignment and "skin-first" performance over legacy logos. If your "premium" price point is based on history rather than current cultural utility, that gap is closing... very fast. -my take on Black Swan Data x Mintel's "Celebrity Beauty Brands 2026" Report. DM / email for a closer look

Now listen… I love great makeup. But long before Sephora had us pretending we were “just browsing” (while somehow leaving with $187 worth of products), Estée Lauder already understood the assignment. She built a beauty empire by doing something incredibly smart: letting people try the product first. Long before “product experience” became a marketing buzzword, Estée Lauder was already using free samples as a powerful customer acquisition strategy. She didn’t just sell makeup — she created desire, exclusivity, and a luxury experience people wanted to be part of. That’s what made her a boss!! She understood that sometimes the strongest marketing move isn’t louder messaging or a bigger campaign… It’s confidence in the product. Because when the product actually delivers, the sample doesn’t just create interest — it does the selling for you! #WomensHistoryMonth #MarketingLessons #BrandStrategy #EsteeLauder #WomenWhoChangedMarketing #MarketingLeadership #BrandBuilding

What a Small Beauty Store Moment Taught Me About Modern Marketing Last week, a friend and I walked into a beauty store, and something she said stayed with me. She picked up a lipstick and said, "I think I deserve this." That moment made me realize how consumer behavior is quietly changing. Today, many purchases are no longer about necessity. They’re about emotional rewards. A lipstick after a long week. A skincare product after achieving something small. These are not just products, they’re small moments of self-recognition. And this behavior is growing. Studies show over 60% of Gen Z consumers buy gifts for themselves, turning everyday purchases into personal rewards. Psychologically, these indulgences act as micro-rewards, triggering dopamine and creating a sense of satisfaction. Brands have started reflecting this shift too. For example, Rare Beauty positions its products around self-care and personal empowerment, not just makeup. That day, my friend didn’t just buy a lipstick. She bought a small celebration of herself. And maybe that’s the real shift in modern marketing: Sometimes the product isn’t the reward. The feeling is. . . . . #MarketingInsights #ConsumerPsychology #BrandStrategy #ConsumerBehavior #BeautyIndustry #RareBeauty #Marketing #Modernmarketing #Sephora #PersonalInsights

My passion for experiential marketing is what makes moments like this so exciting to watch unfold! Pop ups are no longer just temporary retail spaces they are becoming fully immersive brand ecosystems where storytelling discovery and community come together in real life. What stands out is how brands like rhode skin KAYALI and NYX Professional Makeup are creating experiences that feel culturally relevant and emotionally engaging rather than purely transactional These activations give consumers something to remember share and connect with on a deeper level. The power of collaboration is also evident Partnerships like MAKEUP BY MARIO with Chris McMillan and NYX Professional Makeup with Pinterest show how brands are blending creativity influence and community to extend their reach far beyond the physical space. This shift reinforces that the future of retail is not just about selling products it is about creating meaningful memorable experiences that drive lasting brand connection. This is exactly the kind of work I am passionate about being a part of. #ExperientialMarketing #BeautyMarketing #BrandExperience #FutureOfRetail #ConsumerEngagement

The beauty brands with the strongest cross-category momentum on Instagram right now. This carousel highlights the Top 15 Beauty Brands Trending on Instagram in February 2026, a cross-category view of the brands driving visibility, engagement, and growth across the global beauty market. Unlike category-specific rankings, this list brings together skincare, makeup, haircare, fragrance, nailcare and more, making it easier to see which brands are building momentum across the broader beauty landscape. ⭐ Get the full list and see where your brand stands: https://lnkd.in/dMzhp5iF The full ranking includes 600 brands from 35 countries, offering a structured view of how brands are performing relative to each other across categories. Each month, I independently compile these rankings using my Brand Trend Index (BTI), built on data from my Beauty Intelligence Database (BID), tracking thousands of brands globally to identify sustained momentum rather than short-term spikes. No paid placements. No sponsored inclusion. Just data and consistent methodology. Purchasing the full list directly supports my independent research and allows me to continue building and maintaining large-scale datasets across the beauty industry. Top 15 Brands Featured: rhode skin Flower Knows Cosmetics sincerely yours Laneige MERIT Billie Eilish Gisou by Negin Mirsalehi r.e.m. beauty by Ariana Grande Kaleidos Makeup Ffern Bleach London Fran By Franciny Ehlke Victoria Beckham Beauty KAYALI florence by mills #BeautyIndustry #BeautyBrands #BrandStrategy #MarketInsights #BeautyTrends #InstagramTrends #SocialMediaTrends #BeautyMarketing #Mintoiro #ConsumerTrends

When Shakira entered the crowded beauty market, I had too many questions, but she might actually win for 4 major reasons and surpass the rest. Let me explain: Celebrity haircare is not new anymore. Cécred, JVN Hair, TPH by Taraji, all competing for the same. So what makes this different? 1) What isima is doing better than most is specificity. The Latin community represents one of the widest spectrums of hair types: curly, wavy, coily, straight, and often multiple textures on the same head. Most brands simplify this diversity, but Isima appears to be building for it. 2) The level of investment in the product: The brand brought in a L'Oréal veteran as Chief Scientific Officer, spent years in development, and built formulations. Which raises a more important question: Is this a celebrity brand using science for credibility, or a science-led brand using a celebrity for distribution? Because that difference usually decides longevity. 3) Founder-market fit plays a role here. Shakira has spoken about years of hair damage, salon experiences that did not work, and experimenting on her own to fix it. That kind of lived problem statement often shows up in how seriously a brand is built. 4) Now the most important part: numbers The brand has raised over $12M from funds like Stelac Capital Partners, WME, northstar.vc and LMDV Capital, and has already entered retail through Ulta Beauty, with aggressive revenue expectations in year one. But here is the part worth watching: Can a brand stay differentiated in a category where every new launch starts looking the same within months? Because in celebrity beauty, initial attention is guaranteed, but a sustained growth? What do you think?

Beauty marketing in 2026 "hits different" and these 4 campaigns are the proof. 📩✨ The best campaigns this season aren't just selling products. They're selling moments, identity, and culture. indē wild tapped into the aesthetics, senses, power of representation and a Bridgerton reference, with a campaign that was built to serve treats. 🍰 Alix Earle built Reale Actives brand launch around radical transparency — real skin, no filters, no fluff. She gave her audience a brand she actually created after years of struggles. Reale Actives is built on authenticity, vulnerability and relatability. ☘️ L'Oréal walked into the Oscars as Kendal Jenner walked into the Runway office. Confidence, clarity and glam. They made a beauty ad feel like a 2000s movie scene. 👠 818 Spirits x SALT & STONE reminded us that the best collabs happen when two brands genuinely share the same DNA. Cause somehow tequila and body care are up together on the shelves. 🥂 What stands out across all four? None of them felt like ads. They felt like stories and that's exactly why they worked. In a world where consumers can spot inauthenticity from a mile away, the brands winning are the ones with the clearest point of view. Swipe through for a breakdown of each campaign and what made it work. 💡 #BeautyMarketing #CampaignStrategy #MarketingInspiration #BrandStorytelling #BeautyIndustry #InfluencerMarketing #2026Trends

When celebrity influence meets a real market need, powerful brands are born. When Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty, she didn’t just create another celebrity makeup line — she reshaped the beauty industry with inclusive beauty products and 40 foundation shades at launch. The result? 📈 $100M in sales within the first 40 days 📈 $550M+ revenue in the first year 📈 One of the fastest-growing beauty brands in the world The marketing lesson: Great branding isn’t just about fame — it’s about solving real customer problems, building authenticity, and creating a brand people relate to. At Zezo, we believe successful brands are built with strong strategy, creativity, and purpose-driven marketing. Follow for more brand case studies, marketing insights, and digital growth strategies. #MarketingCaseStudy #FentyBeauty #Rihanna #BrandStrategy #CelebrityBrands #MarketingInsights #DigitalMarketing #BrandBuilding #StartupGrowth #ZezoSoft