I love really interesting visuals; ones that highlight products in action, diversity, and a bit of a high-fashion/avant-garde feel. I don’t get drawn in at all by over the top, exaggerated claims or copy, though it’s more amusing than something that would turn me off.
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It’s strange. I find myself straddling the fence. On one hand, I love honest beauty marketing. Like when I stroll into CVS and see gorgeous faces modeling makeup and those faces are untouched. I really REALLY like seeing a woman with some fine lines on her face when she models makeup, because I also have fine lines on my face and I prefer a more realistic look.
However, I also enjoy art and spectacle, so large beautiful colorful ads with interesting fashion and stunning models wearing makeup looks that absolutely don’t translate well into the real world also stops me in my tracks. I love MAC’s colorful campaigns, even if their makeup is only meh.
I like conceptual campaigns that a lot of thought and yes probably money go into. On the flip side I also like campaigns that are just really stripped back and simple and “real”. I prefer when they let campaign images speak for themselves, I really am over the toxic positivity in a lot of cosmetics and beauty in general. I dont find it comes off genuine pretty much ever and I also really hate the kind of over the top exaggerated nonsense claims brands like CT include in their campaigns. Say less, show more.
Yes, darlings! (CT). Agreed. I like OTT when it’s clearly editorial and artistry, rather than marketed at real life persons. If there is a whiff of ‘aspirational’, I’m out. Like Christine, I find the hyperbolic claims ridiculously funny. But if hyperbole shows up on something I would like to consider, then I get miffed.
I don’t really follow or fall for marketing campaigns but I’d love to see a marketing campaign targeting older women and using older models….not just women in their 40’s but women 60 or 70 and older and not just one or two token older women (not just Maye Musk or Renee Russo) and not older models but more “every day” older women from other walks of life. THAT would resonate with me.
THIS; Mariella! I too would love to see less “ageism” in beauty marketing. There are beautiful women in their 50’s, 60’s and even 70’s! My biological mother is about to turn 86 in May, and she looks AMAZING. Whenever I show her pictures to people I know, they are taken aback when I tell them “A***** is 85”.
I like over-the-top glam – like Pat McGrath’s Insta reels. It sells the dream for me – even while I’m thinking “the filters, the lighting etc won’t translate to real life,” I’m also thinking “I want it!” The escapism really pushes my buttons.
When it comes to skincare, I need to see the science of it: ingredient list, actual real person reviews that are NOT sponsored. I have very sensitive and reactive skin and eyes, so I absolutely need to be more than a little careful about what I put on my face and lids!
So, I would have to say that simplicity and honesty go a long way for me.
For color cosmetics, extremely inclusive range of foundation/concealer/face products get me every time! Other color products, it is often the visuals, including accurate swatches and seeing a YT’er (or more like several) showing the product/palette in use.
Personally I like marketing campaigns where the models are from all walks of life (in terms of age, ethnicity etc) – no airbrushing or photoshopping thank you. I like their makeup to be done in a realistic way – what they would actually wear and not OTT.
Tastefully dressed and hairstyled too. No absurd claims either.
I’m also a sucker for high fashion/avant garde campaigns.
I’m with you…avant-garde, dark navy/black, high fashion. Nothing garish, tween-pinky with little cartoon characters.
Pat McGrath’s over the top visuals are eye candy to me and that makes me happy and that is the magic of makeup and it can be achievable. Then there is my other side that is realistic and I like to see real people in their real skin with wrinkles and lines like I have because that is actually the life I live.
I always find the name amusing. I have had samples before and even gave one to a friend whose comment was I don’t drink vodka!
Honestly it for me was clean they could have called it tonic on the rocks as it did have a tonic like feel.
Designer Goth. Messy upscale Grunge. Contrast. Rich jewel tones. Artful distressing/flaws. I want to have a FEELING when I look at promo images and I want to be excited by what I see. My aesthetic isn’t the same as the general population so most imaging just falls flat. If it’s not conjuring up death metal, skulls, black, silver, night owl goths, contrast between light and dark, super saturated dark colors that almost glow, all with strong, clean lines and preferably without flattening out all human features in to “big doll eyes, overinflated lips, orange cheek stripes, and coverage so heavy you’d need a putty knife to get it off.”….then, yeah, I probably forgot about it the second after I saw it.