Eyebrows have always played a role in women’s history.
They started being important when Cleopatra used to wear them carbon lined (The Guardian, 2016).
From then onwards, the eyebrow trends followed different styles depending on the era: ladies wanted their eyebrows pencilled, thin and round in the 20s, 30s, 70s and 90s; they wanted them natural and soft in the 40s; and bold and heavy in the crazy 80s (Vogue, 2018).
Today, eyebrows are trendy if they are sharp, bold and natural. More than ever, they are of extreme importance, standing side by side with icons such as lipstick and mascara.
But why are eyebrows so much more important today than they used to be in the past?
Let’s step back for a second and ask ourselves something quite basic: “Why do companies exist?”
Whenever we need something, a new company is created to provide us with that something. Just think about it… supermarkets exist to fulfil our need for food. The clothing industry exists because we not only need clothes, but we also need a way to express ourselves.
I could go on with endless examples, but I think you got the message: companies exist to fulfil our needs. Usually individuals find a need in society that hasn’t been filled yet and voilà: they create a product to fulfil it. This is how most companies proceed, but Benefit Cosmetics is one of the few exceptions.
Benefit decided to act the other way around: the brand created the need in the market itself. But how did Benefit Cosmetics turn bold and beautiful eyebrows into a need?
The answer relies on a combination of great marketing, product differentiation, creative packaging & naming, and the establishment of an emotional bond with customers!
Jean and Jane Ford, co-founders of the brand, believe that “makeup doesn’t have to be serious to look good”, showcasing their innovative, fun and creative approach. The company reflects its vision of empowerment and happiness in its products, trying to pass on that strength to their customers.
By creating products that have funny names and unique packages, and by releasing their belief that “Laughter is the best cosmetic”, Benefit implemented the idea that its products work to make you happy.
The emotional effect of laughing leads to good self-esteem, confidence and positivity, making you feel better about yourself. Because everyone loves the positive emotional stimuli derived from laughing, Benefit-powered eyebrows became a need in the market (Meet Benefit | Benefit Cosmetics, 2020).
The brand plays with ordinary objects of our daily life and creates products resembling them. For example, the eyebrow pen in the picture below is just like those 4-colour Bic pens that we write with. The concealer, is like a school pencil. Pretty unique, right?
Benefit has always focused on embracing the customer’s true self. In 2012, the company was awarded a Guinness World Record for “most eyebrows waxes in eight hours by a team” because “every gal should be able to put her best brow forward”. In 2015, the company also launched the project Bold is Beautiful: “In May, Benefit donates 100% of its brow wax proceeds to charities that empower women & girls” (Meet Benefit | Benefit Cosmetics, 2020).
So again: why do you think eyebrows are so important today? Because Benefit Cosmetics has made them so!
It was definitely a bold and risky move, but the brand’s marketing, products’ funny signature and strong enforcement of the idea that Benefit will make you feel good have all played a crucial role in the brand’s success.
The emotional attachment between the brand and its customers is quite strong! The main takeaway from this article is definitely the appreciation for the brand’s boldness, showcasing the crucial role that creativity, innovation and emotion play in the cosmetics industry.
Long story short, Benefit has not listened to customer needs, but has instead created them and this is something that very few companies have been able to do.
Well done Benefit!
By Sofia Castro
