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Do you think most companies gear their products to a certain age group?
I think a lot of brands try to be more inclusive than less inclusive, but there are definitely brands that seem to draw in certain age demographics more than others. Like Estee Lauder is often associated as an “older” brand, even though there are lots of products that would work on a variety of age groups. Similarly, I think brands that use newer slang seem like they’re trying to appeal to a younger audience. I think some brands will target or at least focus more on certain age groups to position themselves rather than trying to go after the entire market.
— Christine
I think it depends on the brand, but I think most brands target a specific audience, although they probably don’t mind if everyone bought their products. The HE brands (Tom Ford, Dior, Chanel, Guerlain) target a wealthier, more mature audience, since their products are so expensive. Some DS brands ( Covergirl, Revlon) are probably trying to appeal to everyone. With their trendy colors and names, ColourPop is geared towards a younger audience, but that doesn’t stop me from loving their produts. Some brands like Estee Lauder are trying to reach out to younger customers while not alienating their more traditional customer base
I would guesstimate that roughly half of the brands do. As you mentioned, Estee Lauder, is one that makes me think “mature”, so does Elizabeth Arden and even to some extent, Chanel.
UD caters less to age and more to an aesthetic. Same with KVD.
Tarte and Too Faced seem to be trying (too hard) to appeal to a younger demographic, though. Colourpop definitely does, too.
I think that’s what I love about UD and KVD. I’ve always felt like their stuff was for everyone and they have products for any type of aesthetic while the packaging is definitely targets towards more “edgy” clientele both companies offer such a large variety of products from nudes and neutrals to bold and glam and everything in between! TF to me feels like they are trying to make “kids make up” for adults. Some of their marketing really weirds me out. Like, the palette “boudoir eyes” is clearly aimed at adults, but the the “totally cute” palette seems aimed at younger audience. Idk. It kind of bothers me haha. Tarte I can’t really wrap my head around. Sometimes I feel like they try to go for a HE look and appeal and then other times they are almost on the same level as TF. I don’t get it. Colourpop definitely seems to be going after the “Kylie Jenner” crowd, but I do love their products either way.
Yep, I was thinking the exact same thing about Estée Lauder. But I feel that in recent years they’ve become more youthful and target younger women too.
I would say most brands are trying to get market shares in the 18-45 age group. There are not many who actually target women in their 50s or later. Some brands might have the reputation to be “older” but their marketing efforts tend to show that they try to fight that image (Estee Lauder, Elizabeth Arden for example). There are some however who clearly market their products for a younger audience, under 30, such as ColourPop, Too Faced, NYX…
I think traditional brands such as Chanel and Dior are geared more towards the mature spectrum of the market, whereas newer brands like ColourPop, Too Faced, Urban Decay etc appeal more to the younger generation. Take Chanel’s new collection, for example, as it focusses on reds. Most women whom I’ve seen wearing red lipstick tend to be older. A Chanel SA that I recently spoke to said that lots of women are scared of bold colours (is that why the youngsters go for nudes and other ‘safe’ colours?) Also, the packaging – and this includes Dior’s – tends to be more sophisticated and elegant, whereas brands like ColourPop and UD have a more fun, eye catching outlook which would be aimed at younger women.
I think there is pretty much always a “target demographic”, but it can range from a very narrow one to a quite broad one. A more narrow one might be the new Esteé Lauder “Esteé Edit” which is obviously aimed at attracting younger women (my guess is late teens-early 20’s-ish) to a brand that may think it’s only attracting “older” women (whatever the hell older means these days…). I think when brands do things like that it’s because they feel they aren’t gaining new customers, so their base is aging up and as a result slowly dwindling.
Generally in any type of sales and marketing there is a specific age range (which usually ignores women over a certain age, be it actresses over 35, consumers over 50, etc, which is ridiculous because those are either well-versed in their field in the case of actresses, or have a larger disposable income than younger women in the case of consumers).
I remember growing up in the Bay Area and Apple donating computers to a ton of elementary schools so they could start up computer labs, which wasn’t about computer literacy for them but about getting six year olds hooked on their brand (and it really worked!), so it’s something that’s widely used in any consumer field.
I don’t know if it’s deliberate because I’m sure most companies want EVERYONE buying their products but there are a few brands that do have an “older lady” image – Elizabeth Arden and Estee Lauder come to mind for me. What’s funny is that I remember when Clinique (part of the Lauder group from the beginning) hit the market and IT was totally geared to younger women with its more modern and “scientific” approach, its use of soap for cleansing, etc. I don’t think companies like MAC and UD “target” us older women at all (the only “older women” I generally see at the MAC store are there while their daughters are having makeup done for prom!) but we older ladies sure do buy from them. And Chanel….clearly, their entire aim seems to be the more elegant, sophisticated, monied and luxury group (generally not teens and 20-somethings) – no black or green lipsticks and outrageous colours at Chanel – though almost everyone, even we “wage slaves” feels a bit indulged if we buy something from Chanel.
This may actually be true of many a MAC Store, except here in Scottsdale AZ! Whenever I go there, I see that I’m usually not the only “little old lady” there. Yep, 57 y.o., and still shop there for me self!
(Disclaimer: this Granny don’t *look* like the other grannies. LoL?)
BUT; I do also love a great red Chanel lipstick, too! Vie will be mine. Possibly Tentation as well.?
Oh, I do see older women there (and at the MAC counter in the department store….actually, that seems to attract more “over 40” customers than the store) but it’s the young gals that seem to be in the majority. And, just to make you feel better, “granny”, I’m a few years older than you!
I’m a young 58 y.o. new Grandma and I shop MAC & Urban Decay. I feel fortunate that my skin is good and that I can wear color without looking garish.
Yes there are some companies like Too Faced, Benefit, The Balm who
cater to the teens thru 30’s. You would not see a 50 something rockin, a look by Too Faced on Instagram!
BTW I don’t own any Elizabeth Arden or Este Lauder.
Your comment is in line with what i was thinking. My first non DS makeup was Clinique in 79 (freshman in highschool). When Prescriotives came out, i went to that and in retrospect, it was marketing! Much like someone said about Apple – once in your head, that message is hard to break, even when you understand why you think that way! When it was time to get skincare for dry vs oily, and invest in anti-aging, etc. I refused to even LOOK at Estee Lauder, because I perceived it as “old lady”. It makes sense to me that they may have the most experience but with all of our choices these days, it will never happen.
Of course. Most brands have a demographic target they advertise for as well as a brand “look”. This is why you see the choices of spokespeople being what they are. Sometimes, brands try to cross-reach to a different demographic with their advertising; as with your EL example the choice of Kendall Jenner along with the release of their “Edit”.
I think everyone at Tarte sat themselves down 2 years ago and said: “Okay, we need to change everything. We can keep using all-natural ingredients but we need to repackage and rename everything. Obviously our eyeshadow palettes are boring so let’s create trendier palettes with update formulas. And also let’s beat Amazonian Clay to death. Totes.”
Lol… It’s like they watch ColourPop and try to slightly mirror their email & social media campaigns.
I also think the makeup industry is similar to the tobacco industry wherein they want to bring in new potentially lifelong customers.
Every brand needs to have a target market of some sort, especially new emerging brands. I don’t know where I fall because I love classic & modern packaging & formulas!
Agree! But it is odd that people don’t remember Tarte when they first came out. Their product “compacts” were all purple ultrasuede and their print ads had Britey Spears. They had a lowly 3′ area at the end in the Scottsdale Nordstrom and no crowds. I don’t know why, either. They were positioned with pre-DS Hard Candy and Anna Sui. I still look for dupes of my favorite blue eyeliner by Tarte! Ballet Dancers. I think the new NARS velvet line has one that may just do it.
I agree. Some of those brands that you mainly find in department stores always felt like they were for old ladies, but maybe that’s because my grandma goes to those (Lancome, Estee Lauder, etc.) I only started becoming interested in them when I noticed them at Sephora and online. I sometimes wonder if brands like Benefit and Too Faced purposefully target a younger consumer with their “cutesy” packaging. It usually doesn’t appeal to me. I don’t know much about marketing but it makes sense that it might be cost effective to strongly target a certain audience rather than cast a wider net and try to get everyone.
Absolutely, most brands target the disposable income group which is 20-40. and there a good reason why when you have statistics that shows most sales go the to that age demographic in the cosmetic and fashion industry. They have even done surveys on what ethnicity spend the most at Sephora as well (I’m not sure how they do it other through the Sephora profile per account online if they fill it out)
Interesting. I’m finding that in my mid-50’s I have more discretionary income and less debt than I ever have, and I play more and spend more on makeup than I ever used to. I get that I may be an outlier though. I need to find someone to survey me, ha.
It not so much that 50+ don’t spend, it’s just that they found it was more on fashion/jelery/skin care than makeup. I will clearly be spending my on makeup in the future and I’m sure this demographic will push this trend forward. 😉
it’s also this generation is starting their families later on average because they don’t feel financially secure with huge school loans and entry-level payment jobs (not that their jobs are entry level) that last for 15+ years.
Age group or demographic, yes.
I like even the idea that marketing to different age groups is being discussed. It’s progress and common sense taking hold. I never understood the behavior where sales assistants treat 50-somethings like me as not worth their time. When, in fact, based on my financial options and my interest in real quality to help me as I age, I’m a ready victim with a healthy credit limit.
As a long-time marketer and digital strategist, you bet they target. They use focus group and test, test, test. Through social media analytic tools, you can–and I’m not joking–be quite certain of the type and brand of underwear people wear and target your product directly to them. Messaging is A/B tested and refined over and over. There are big bucks at stake, and crazy intense competition in the cosmetics industry. The smart companies out there are leaving very little to chance.
Millennials are now the largest population group in the US, edging out the boomers. The spending power remains in the boomer demographic by far. Skewing marketing “young,” however, trains that generation to want the products, yet appeals to the boomer women who want to be more “hip.” I could go on for days about this, but will stop now. 🙂
I also work in the marketing industry and I agree with you.
This is why we see so many makeup brands all owned by the same parent company… The companies want all of the pieces of the pie, but they know they need different branding and marketing strategies to reach different audiences!
I want to thank both you ladies for this healthy dose of reality that comes from two women who know what they’re talking about. I wish more women were aware of just how complex successful marketing is.
So true! I’m in the 45-50 age bracket and spend tons on makeup, love all kinds of makeup, including the young “hip” brands, but don’t want to be caught dead buying the grandma brands.
I feel that they can and do but most brands seem fairly inclusive. I don’t really associate too much. I feel like Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder, and some higher end brands like CdP, Chant, La Prarie are more markets to mature customers. By this I mean 40+ ish. I feel it has more to do with classism than ageism though.
CoverGirl definitely caters to a makeup “beginner”: the pricepoint is pen that a teen can easily afford, the spokesmodels are popular w/teens, and CG has a wider variety of acne-friendly products. CG was also the very first brand I used. I haven’t bought any of their products in years; the last couple of CG items I used performed so poorly, it turned me off of the brand completely.
CG was also the very first brand I ever used! I remember when they had the “covergirl” and I always wanted to look like whoever she was
I don’t know if they purposely gear to an age group or rather they just have a certain reputation ie Estee Lauder is old lady makeup due to their fragrance, clunky and dated packaging. Whereas UD, Kat Von D, NYX, MAC seem to cater to youth due to their kitchy names, wild colors and collaborations
I do. I also think Estee Lauder is geared towards a more older crowd. I think the same of Lancôme and Caudalie skin care. I’ve had to get my mind out of that thought process when purchasing certain brands which has led me to try and love brands that I thought were geared towards older women.
Take Tarte, I don’t think Tarte is geared towards my age group 34 + because it’s so kiddie like to me such as their palette designs and lip tubes. But I still buy a few of their things. I also think Nars is geared towards more older women too or maybe cause I just don’t like that brand lol.
I actually like when a certain brand if geared towards a certain demographic. I know what lines to go to if I’m looking for BOLD, young and sexy or older, mature, and classy. It’s a visual placemat of where to start and a “stay away from them” notation in the back of the mind.
It’s pretty obvious to me that they do. A lot of people here have pointed out ColourPop, Tarte and Too Faced for courting a younger audience with their slangy product names (and in ColourPop’s case, purposefully modelling their brand after fast fashion, with frequent on-trend new releases at a low price point). On the opposite end of things we see brands that offer to prevent the appearance of aging (for those just hitting middle age) or reverse the signs of aging (for those well into middle age and beyond). Teens and twenties don’t want that, they want to look their age (especially once you’re over 18 and want to be treated like the adult you legally are). I have a feeling a lot of these prestige brands also appeal to an older audience because of their… steadiness? You know you can go to the counter and get the same products you always get, because the brand isn’t reformulating, repackaging and relaunching every six months to two years.
Of course they do, and very specifically. That’s how they make money. It doesn’t mean some don’t appeal to a wide age range, though.
Definitely! Companies spend a vast amount of money cultivating an image and developing a market base. They foster an identity and cultivate customer loyalty by consistently catering to their target demographic while tossing in a few other products that have broader appeal as a way to draw in new customers. The marketplace is simply too vast and complex for a brand to be all things to all people. It’s in their best financial interest to narrow the field and concentrate on excelling when it comes to meeting the needs of a particular demographic. That’s just basic Marketing 101.
From a consumer standpoint, knowing a brand’s target demographic can make shopping easier and more successful because we don’t have to sort through a bunch of products that won’t suit us. Of course, we can shop whatever brands we want, but in general, we know where we’re most likely to find something we like and we tend to gravitate to those brands first. Case in point, Christine featured Clé de Peau’s luminizer in Almond the other day. One reader was disappointed in how subtle it was and I responded that that was the very quality that made the product perfect for someone of my age (72). I want my makeup to look modern but I need a brand that understands that in giving me that trend, certain age related issues need to be addressed. Brands like CdP cater to more mature women whereas brands like MAC are after the youth market. So, which brand is more likely to meet my needs? Which brand am I most likely to shop? It’s not rocket science!
I would say definitely YES! Some higher end brands “target” more mature or affluent audience and other brands target a younger audience but all brands, drugstore, medium-range and high-end brands use a young model almost exclusively. What does a 20 year old know about wrinkles and certainly as compared to someone 50 and over? But yeah there is targeting that cosmetic companies indulge in.
It has always impressed me that a lot of brands include cosmetics for all ages – and all tastes. That’s a very smart business decision!
I think their are some brands that are for everyone even if they are high end or mid range like Tom Ford, Dior, Lancome, Bobbi Brown & so on. But I also think that some brands target more mature people like Estee Lauder. Mac seems like it is targeting the younger people not that everyone couldn’t wear Estee Lauder or Mac but they definitely advertise to a specific audience.
It depends also on what brands are easily available in your country: for example, here in Aus, UD, Kat Von D, Too Faced, Mac, Colour Pop, Milani, Tarte, Bobbi Brown are not easily found. Only recently has Mecca Cosmetics opened up at suburban shopping centres that has some of these brands. Sephora Melbourne isn’t allowed to sell UD.
But yes, some brands are targeted towards different demographics. MAC, with their colourful collections and images, seem to be targeted towards a younger audience, whereas Dior, Chanel, EL, Guerlain lean more towards an older audience who can pay for their expensive (overhyped) products.
Yes I think that certain products are designated for different age groups. You have pre-teens, teens to 21, 21 to 30. Then 30 to 40 are categorized together. 50 -60. It’s like that I think. I am 45, so far that’s how I see so far. Basically no matter WHAT age group, moisture well and cleanse. Use sunscreen, drink lots of water ….at ANY AGE.
Yes! Estee Lauder is trying to get away from their mature image by using Kendall Jenner as their spokesperson. The #1 cosmetic brand for younger audiences right now … Kylie Cosmetics. Then, whoever has the most YouTube or YouNow product recommendations for their age group – Lime Crime, ColourPop, NYX, Too Faced, etc.
I do, but brands have labels within their company to appeal to other age groups. Example: Estee Lauder, which you mentioned is not appealing to younger customers, now has Estee Edit, featuring Kendall Jenner, marketed for the younger audience. I think everything from shade range to packaging, to advertising/model selection is geared to an age group or segment of the population – there really isn’t a one size fits all.