Fenty Beauty
What does beauty mean to China’s Gen Z? And how could beauty standards be expanded to be more inclusive in a society that adheres to traditional beauty norms? These questions underpinned the challenges We. faced to introduce the Fenty Beauty by Rihanna brand and its hero product to the mainland market.
We.’s messaging leaned into insights from interviews of models, influencers and consumers who related how the brand enhanced their beauty experiences, made them feel seen, and inspired them to be their true selves. Partnerships with voguing communities accelerated product adoption among target audiences. A word-of-mouth marketing effort for the inaugural Fenty Beauty pop-up store in China leveraged Gen Z’s penchant for playfulness, with six experiential spaces where visitors could test the product.
We. positioned Fenty Beauty with mainland Gen Zers as a brand that spoke their language, affirmed their individuality, and was meaningful for their social circles. The campaign made national and international headlines, generated +120K media pieces, and earned +75M engagements on Chinese social media and media outlets. And it delivered on commerce: Offline retail logged an additional 123K in customer footfall, and sales increased 18x as a result of an e-commerce livestream.
