What a brand deserves to be famous for

I’m sure as many beauty PRs who read this newsletter also listen to Fat Mascara, a US-based podcast hosted by two industry insiders. If you haven’t already, I recommend pressing play on a recent episode featuring the digital marketing expert Leslie Hall.

One thing Hall called out during the interview particularly echoed my thoughts on today’s market. She said that what really drives the success of a beauty brand in 2023 is understanding “the hero product”.

She asks, what is it a brand deserves to be famous for? Most of her clients can’t answer that when they start working with her. But with brand loyalty not what it once was, and many consumers instead favouring a pick ‘n’ mix approach to beauty products, celebrating differentiators in a crowded market is key to ensuring a brand stands out. And sells.

The last time I wrote about hero-ing hero products (check out the RoxStars archives!), I centred my praise on items which boast cult and iconic status. Think: Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream or MAC’s Ruby Woo lipstick. But, of course, while all heroes have backstories they needn’t come with history. They could be something new that’s an overachiever, or that’s innovative and unique. Or they might be something staple that’s just simply better than the rest.

All these attributes make for the products we really want to feature. Which, in turn, I hope hammer home what a brand excels at. So, tell us your clients’ heroes. Send them to us to test. Word-of-mouth recommendations dominate beauty, and we all want to know “the best”.