How to Identify a Beauty Brand

The 7 brands that changed beauty advertising

The Dawn of the Gift - Estee Lauder

• Estee Lauder launched in 1947, she was from a working class family and worked for her uncle who was a chemist, after an advertising company turned her away she posted personal letters to people that promised a free gift for every purchase. 

The Medical Approach - Clinique

• Clinique launched in 1968 and was born through the growing concerns about chemicals in makeup, they offered 'fragrance free' and 'hypoallergenic' they were then selling the products ingredients rather than the product itself. If you go into a Clinique they are not called makeup artists they are called consultants, and there is a colour scheme that is very green which makes you think of medical.

The Colour of the Season - Revlon

• Revlon introduced the idea that makeup is seasonal and that you needed to get new makeup every 6 months. Revlon started with nail polishes and introduced different colour schemes for A/W & S/S. So makeup was now seen as an accessory to what you wear.

The Celebrity Factor - Max Factor

• Max Factor started of working for the grand opera and then moved to the US, he was linked to the rise of film and formulated new products for makeup that was not as thick as what was worn in film. He signed an endorsement with the film stars and made them appear in his adverts.

The Distributor - L'Oreal

• L'Oreal started to sell its products to the finest salons and launched a trade publication and a magazine. The thought behind it was that if it is good enough for the professionals then it is good enough for people at home.

The Regimen - Ponds

• Ponds started off a two step regimen for skin which is still used today.

The Aging Debate - Dove

• Dove thought that current standards in beauty were unrealistic and some companies have been fined for this, so dove launched real beauty campaign to show real women.

How beauty brands seduce you through emotional design.

Beauty brands use different emotional standpoints to sell designs, they use sex, shock tactics, body image, exclusivity, colour and loyalty, for example Dove gives the viewer quite a comfortable response, soft, light fresh and clean.

Colours can also prevoke an emotional response for example white can be pure, blue can be trusting, black and gold can be elegant and exclusive.