Influencer Marketing in the U.S. beauty sector

According to Launchmetrics, micro and nano-influencers are behind the most effective marketing strategies in the U.S. beauty industry

American beauty and makeup consumers favor niche influencers with authentic followings

In the U.S. market, new marketing campaigns are being experimented with, featuring personalized storytelling and exclusive influencer content shared in WhatsApp groups. While influencers have become a crucial touchpoint in the purchasing journey of American beauty consumers, it is now micro and nano-influencers who offer the highest Media Impact Value (MIV) for beauty and makeup companies. MIV is a proprietary algorithm by Launchmetrics that measures and compares the media impact of placements and mentions across various multimedia platforms in the fashion, luxury, and beauty industries.

In June, the most popular cosmetic concealers worldwide were produced by the following beauty brands:

• Nars
• Tarte
• Too Faced
• Dior
• Fenty Beauty

This ranking was compiled using MIV, which tracked the impact of influencers, print media, celebrities, official third-party partners, and a brand's media channels. It revealed that micro and nano-influencers represented the highest MIV across the board. "As we emerge from the pandemic, customers are seeking an authentic connection between influencers and products when it comes to beauty brands in America," said Alison Bringé, Chief Marketing Officer at Launchmetrics. "The fact that we are seeing more niche community leaders driving MIV in the cosmetics and makeup sector aligns with American market trends."

The beauty brands listed above are all implementing the same marketing strategy for the U.S. market, aiming to connect individually with their audience. The goal is to engage and reach customers and micro-influencers more directly, seeking true brand advocates. In 2020, Nars created personalized quizzes for its official e-commerce sites worldwide. By incorporating consumer data into its Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategy, the company is better able to understand and anticipate customer's needs.

In May, Tarte sponsored its first trip for TikTok brand ambassadors, selecting only influencers with between one million and 14-15 million followers — a micro-influencer following by TikTok standards. None of the TikTokers had previously participated in one of Tarte's popular trips (known by the hashtag #trippinwithtarte), and each greatly appreciated their hotel rooms, which were uniquely personalized.

According to Bringé, traditional concepts of micro and nano-influencers are also evolving. Although brands may still refer to these influencers as nano or micro, their role today is more akin to that of opinion leaders. "We are talking about a segmentation of influential customers who greatly appreciate the brand or product. And they become the main advocates for the products themselves," said Bringé. "The virality of this type of content demonstrates that the more authentic the content, the more it resonates with the audience."

For the First Time, a Luxury Brand Used WhatsApp to Enhance Conversations with a Brand Ambassador

A recent example of 1:1 personalized marketing through WhatsApp came from Dior last June. Thanks to a partnership with Infobip. It marked the first time a luxury brand utilized WhatsApp to provide Instagram communities with exclusive influencer content and personalized storytelling.

Dior Beauty launched an innovative campaign featuring its global ambassador and Blackpink member, Jisoo, as the face of the new Dior Addict Shine lipstick. Dior invited its 9.6 million followers on the 'Dior Beauty Instagram' page to engage with a chatbot representing the K-pop superstar, sparking enthusiasm among her fanbase. Users participated in the campaign via Dior Beauty’s Instagram stories, where Jisoo encouraged followers to join her exclusive WhatsApp group. This directed them to a dedicated landing page, where they could sign up to interact with Jisoo’s WhatsApp chatbot ahead of the launch of the Dior Addict Shine lipstick. Members were able to select the type of content they wanted to receive, ranging from themed videos to exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of Jisoo's experience as a Dior ambassador.

The campaign saw thousands of memes, screenshots, and conversations generated across platforms beyond WhatsApp, according to Laurent François, managing partner at 180 Luxe, the digital marketing agency that collaborated with Dior on the initiative. Arthur Poulain, head of digital innovation and strategic planning at Dior, highlighted the importance of word-of-mouth for the campaign. He noted that 20% of registered users joined the group through a link shared by a friend rather than the official promotion. In June 2021, Dior was ranked as the number one global luxury beauty brand, based on MIV data from Launchmetrics, with 34% of its MIV generated by influencers.

Bringé remarked that the concept of influencer opinion leaders could have a stronger impact than other social media marketing strategies in the future. She further suggested that brands should rethink their loyalty programs to offer greater rewards to brand advocates, and continue to explore alternative ways to connect with their customers. Bringé concluded by mentioning that Launchmetrics is working on some 'top secret' projects to help brands better evaluate customer lifetime value.

"What’s always fascinating about these small groups of influencers is their proximity to their audience," said Bringé. "It’s their ability to build niche communities that sets them apart."