Guest post written by Claudia Allwood, Director of Digital Marketing & Stephanie Henry, digital content & Social Media lead for Benefit Cosmetics.

Did you know that the first product created by Benefit Cosmetics was, in fact, a nipple stain? It’s true. And just like our iconic product benetint, we didn’t have the upbringing of a traditional beauty brand. Benefit’s DNA encapsulates a rich history of laughter at the intersection of a bold & girly wit and a free-spirited sensibility. Always solution-oriented, Benefit’s authentic brand promise is showcased in both the products developed and in each piece of content we create for our consumers.

With that said, our greatest opportunity lies in utilizing that rich history, brand voice & market positioning to craft a real-time, compelling conversation online. It affords us the ability to have authentic interactions and learn to deliver what’s important to our consumer.

Seeing is believing. Tweet @benefitbeauty with #beautyboost for your very own surprise.

This isn’t just true of Benefit; every brand can tap into their differentiating factors to create content strategies that strengthen consumer interactions and affinity online. Here are 3 key ways our digital marketing efforts reflect this:

1. More platforms give us more opportunities to reinforce who we are.

As more platforms are introduced, consumers tune out faster than ever, which means that social content has to be relevant. But what we talk about is just as critical to where we talk about it —the two are inextricable within our approach to social engagement. For example, Benefit’s products are about solving real problems, which is why our Facebook content focuses on education—tips & tricks and how-to’s. And Instagram, for example, gives us the perfect opportunity to show the more visual aspects of our DNA—girly & bold product packaging, the signature Benefit pink & the hometown in which the company was founded, San Francisco.

2. Listening to our consumers is just as important as speaking to them.

Benefit is fortunate to have a well-developed visual & written language that captures our core focus on laughter & fun. However, we don’t just blast out the same assets across each channel. We look at what each platform does well, how our community uses it and what they get excited about—and then adapt our content accordingly. Whether it’s to surprise and delight or to be a useful resource in the beauty space, we create visual bite-sized content that’s easily shareable, understandable and ultimately desired by our consumers within each specific channel.

3. A consistent, compelling brand voice is more important than ever.

Sure, social media lets marketers have actual conversations with consumers, but without a distinguishable voice, brands will be the first thing ignored in the feed. For Benefit, we’ve created our own lexicon that is based on our brand DNA—irreverent product names, a cast of brand characters, familiar BFF speak. Just like our products, which are designed to respond to real problems, our voice is shaped by who our women are, and how they think.

Social media lets us show off our authentic personality and be both accessible and vulnerable as a brand. Best-case scenario? Our social voice gives our customer the same kind of human contact she gets at a beauty counter, or the kind of beauty advice she gets from her best friend. By standing out, surprising & delighting consumers through innovation and genuine conversation, we’re able to break through the noise and remind her why she’s “a friend with Benefit.”

---

About the Authors

Claudia Allwood is the director of digital marketing for Benefit Cosmetics. (photo, right)
Stephanie Henry leads digital content & social media for Benefit Cosmetics. (photo, left)

Together, they never tire of the outpouring of positive emotion they receive from ladies when asked what they do. Their expertise lies in crafting nimble, creative & innovative digital user experiences (see BeautyBoost). Their goal for every digital initiative is to “break the Internet” and/or meet Ryan Gosling.

Facebook: /BenefitCosmetics
Twitter: @BenefitBeauty
Instagram: @BenefitCosmetics
YouTube: /BenefitCosmetics
Pinterest: @BenefitGals