The Beauty Spot: Beauty Is “Nuanced, Fluid and Exciting” for Glenn Smith
Looking at the beauty category today and comparing it to even a decade ago makes clear that a lot has changed. That change, led by shifting consumer demographics and brands’ evolution, is in a paradoxical flux. More calls than ever are made to ban retouching, do away with the high-glamour aspiration represented by voiceless models, and showcase a diverse cast of people in line with our diverse populations. So how are brands and agencies navigating this shifting and complex landscape? LBB - in association with SHORTFILMS, a production company with a beauty specialism - is looking into it in an ongoing series: The Beauty Spot. We will be asking some of the industry’s experts the burning questions surrounding the new rules of beauty marketing and the strategy they’re using to lead - not follow - in this space.
SHORTFILMS’ director Stephen Mead and producer Holly Hartley add, "Teaming up with LBB has given us the opportunity to explore what other industry leaders feel about the portrayal of ‘beauty’ in the changing world we are now working in. It’s a time of flux with conflicting ideals sometimes leading to some messy compromises. It’s time to appraise the successes and failures of the past and develop a new path forward.”
Today, we’re catching up with Glenn Smith, creative director at the advertising agency Southpaw. Glenn sees the current beauty moment to be defined by a multiplicity of attitudes and influences that reflect the diversity and personality of gen z and alpha. He sees audience's calls for diversity in beauty campaigns as an advantage, not a challenge, and is excited to help brands “celebrate difference”. Southpaw recently worked on e.l.f. Cosmetics’ bright and authentic campaign ‘Express Your e.l.f’ which Glenn tells us was street cast to best capture the beauty zeitgeist.
Below, Glenn shares more about creating the campaign, how Southpaw’s proprietary tool - Neuromap - helps the agency gather relevant consumer insights, and what he has learned about beauty from his gen z and alpha daughters.
LBB> The beauty category has - until very recently - used fantasy and aspiration in order to sell. When did this start to change and what was behind the change, in your opinion?
Glenn> Fantasy will always have a place in beauty as it allows for creativity and imagination. However, the rise of augmented tools, especially within social platforms has created a new respect for reality and the unfiltered authenticity of personal beauty. This ‘democratisation’ of beauty is very much linked to mental wellness and solving some of the damage created by social media, especially with young women and girls. For some, however, personal beauty is fantastical and aspirational, so we have to respect that too.
LBB> How should beauty brands be responding to the period of redefined aspiration?
Glenn> By listening. Beauty brands have seen their role in society as defining and offering a distinct look, but trends have become personal and ephemeral, especially with gen z. So, the ball is now in the other court. We need to listen to, reflect and enhance our audience’s desires. They aspire to be their best selves, not someone else’s.
LBB> The beauty category is always going to be led by and associated with images - can the industry ever get to a point where the beauty image isn’t in some ways normative and/or idealising?
LBB> The beauty conversation needs to be driven by those who create and define it, and that is now being driven by a community who are seeing words like ‘normal’ and ‘ideal’ as negatives. I’d personally hate to see beauty characterised in such simple terms, at its best it is nuanced, fluid and exciting.
LBB> What kind of messaging are you helping beauty brands to communicate now? What’s resonating with consumers today?
Glenn> Our recent ‘Express Your e.l.f’ campaign for e.l.f. Cosmetics was influenced by the ‘Unapologetically Me’ trend - identified by our partners at The Foresight Factory - which predicted a rebellion against perfection. Our campaign connected incredibly well with consumers because it empowered them to be confident and free in their beauty choices, without judgement or ideals.
LBB> Are brands/agencies creating aesthetic/beauty trends or are they responding to trends?
Glenn> The democratisation of beauty means that art is now imitating life. Everyone has complete access to the point where seeing Kim Kardashian do the ‘M to the B’ TikTok challenge isn’t surprising. So, it’s a kind of circular economy – you want to be in the cultural moment but if you get your message right, you can influence behaviour at the same time.
LBB> Consumers want to see beauty campaigns that are diverse and representative – how are you working towards this? Are there any challenges?
Glenn> This should be seen as an advantage not a challenge. Beauty should celebrate difference, that’s what makes it exciting and that’s what forces brands to keep innovating. Our ‘Express Your e.l.f’ campaign was street cast for this very reason, not only did it take away traditional concepts of beauty, but it created new and unscripted moments that elevated the idea.
LBB> Gen z and gen alpha have a very different attitude towards beauty and its representation in media to other generations. Do you think that that is the case and the perception of beauty is really shifting for them?
Glenn> Thankfully, times have changed, and kids are now taught about kindness and acceptance in much broader terms. I have gen z and gen alpha daughters and had the benefit of watching them navigate their own understanding of beauty. They see it holistically. The person, the look, their vibe, it’s all part of the same thing. Something to be embraced, not judged.
LBB> How are you helping beauty brands to navigate this ever-shifting landscape? And how is this evolving idea of beauty affecting the craft and production side of advertising?
Glenn> At Southpaw we specialise in helping challenger brands outsmart the crowd, and the beauty crowd is massive! So, we have developed a proprietary insights tool called a Neuromap, which allows us to analyse, predict and influence consumer behaviour. This allows us to monitor the ever-changing emotional shifts with beauty consumers and plug in the right behavioural science models to drive effectiveness.
LBB> What do you think the future holds for beauty advertising? Are there any changes you would like to personally see?
Glenn> Beauty is about words as much as it is about image, and the words we use to define beauty are evolving fast. Even the word ‘beauty’ is potentially at risk, with many women thinking there is too much importance placed on it as a source of happiness. I’m excited to see how language will creatively affect the narrative on personal, visual expression (or whatever we call ‘beauty’ in the future!).
