Simpson has been in the beauty industry for over two decades. She has seen the arbiters of beauty change over the years.
Beauty brands, with their abundant advertisements in magazines and television, long defined beauty and what products were created, until retailers like Ulta Beauty claimed a bigger role. Eventually, an authority was created by the influencer. Fast forward to now, and it is customers who are holding the microphone. Simpson has been riveted by the change in power.
The power of marketing change has fascinated me. She said that she needs to adapt as a marketing person. The consumer's voice is powerful and it is holding everyone accountable. A marketer's role isn't just about marketing. A community engagement manager is similar to a marketer in that they form tw0way communication channels between the brand and its customers. She said that this isn't top-down messaging anymore.
Thirty years in business is what Nars will celebrate. She joined Nars seven years ago when the company was one of the best-selling prestige makeup brands. It is the 6th best-selling brand in the industry. The annual brand sales of Nars grew by 22% over the course of the year. The launch of Light Reflecting Foundation was the largest prestige beauty launch of the year. Ahead of the launch, there was a partnership with Sephora that included special in-store signs and an in-store event.
The Light Reflecting Foundation shows what can be done with innovation. We call our skin beauty. Simpson wants to combine the makeup categories. People want to try the products, but we have a strong online business. It was a perfect time to come out of Covid-19.
The idea of makeup with skin care benefits has been around for a long time. The concept of complexion products that evoke a more natural, skin-like finish and have skin-care ingredients has recently doubled down on the concept. Nars reformulated its skin-care products to be cleaner and reintroduced them in 2022. Nars wanted the complexion product to have a skin-like finish. The first quarter of 2023 saw a growth in Nars prestige makeup sales.
During New York Fashion Week in February, Nars hosted nine black people who received a four-day stay at the Amman Hotel and backstage access to the event. The Nars marketing team generated the idea. She said that it was important for people to know that Nars has diverse values with its employees and leaders.
There is still room for improvement. Simpson said that they look at products through an inclusive lens. The Black content creators met my team and saw that what they do is authentic to who we are as a brand. Diverse initiatives are not the only ones.
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