Prem Narayan, chief strategy officer at advertising firm Ogilvy, said social media influencers and digital content creators, who are seen as catalysts for social and cultural change, have a bigger impact on some product categories than others. I think it may be having an impact. His theory is backed up by a recent study in which his advertising agency worked with Meta to analyze content on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, finding that social platforms are cultural gateways, especially for the beauty product category. It has been shown.
The content of over 100 influencers was examined to determine how social media is changing brand stories. “This didn’t start out as a beauty study, but we chose this because it’s a big bucket of content on Instagram,” Narayan said. This was no surprise since Ogilvy carries beauty and cosmetics brand Lakme, apart from Hindustan Unilever’s personal care brands such as Dove, Vaseline and Sunsilk.
Narayan pointed out that beauty has moved from airbrushed to real on social media platforms compared to, say, TV commercials. “It’s about embracing imperfection and having influencers dispel beauty fears,” he said.
They discuss real-life problems and solutions, and beauty brands join the conversation. “Beauty has been liberated from the world of miracles. When a creator (or celebrity) opens up about their own struggles in overcoming beauty issues, it becomes a “common vulnerability.” That’s why people trust digital influencers when they talk about their weaknesses,” he said.
Aditi Mathur Kumar, creative business lead (North and East) at digital agency Interactive Avenues, believes social media platforms are also promoting diversity and body positivity in the beauty category. Her agency manages the skincare and cosmetics brands Nature’s Essence and Blue Heaven, as well as several of her Emami brands. “Influencers of different body types are signing brand deals. It gives brands an opportunity to promote a more inclusive vision of beauty,” she said.
But diversity also means different skin colors and hair textures, Kumar said. “I follow #browngirlmakeup and it’s so cool to see brands coming out with 37 shades of foundation instead of just 3, because that’s the range for dark-skinned girls in India. People “A lot of this change is because of social media, because more people have access to it and aren’t afraid to come out without a filter,” she said.
She points to indie brand FAE Beauty, which not only celebrates different skin tones, but also promotes genderfluid makeup. She added that there is a growing trend for cosmetics brands to launch more products based on the response they get from content creators.
Pure beauty and personal care is the fastest growing category in India, expected to reach $30 billion by 2027, according to a report by Redseer Strategy Consultants and Peak XV (formerly Sequoia Capital India).
New online-first beauty brands and their influencers may be leading the cultural shift in the beauty conversation, but traditional brands may also have to catch up. Ogilvy’s Narayan said traditional beauty giants are smart marketers. “The purpose of the exploratory study is to highlight some of the cultural changes that social media is bringing to brands,” he said, adding that legacy companies are already increasing their digital media budgets.
“India is a young country and these brands also want to capture young consumers who spend hours on social media. So while there are classic forms of building a brand through print and television, this graph (Digital) evolution may be much faster,” he said.
Kumar pointed out that globally, luxury cosmetics giant Estée Lauder already spends 75% of its digital marketing budget on collaborations with social influencers. “Even closer to home, many of them are finding success collaborating with influencers. Some big companies may be missing out on messaging with real people, but they’re sure to get there.” “I guess so,” she said.
However, both brands and users need to be aware of the dangers of social media.
Setting unrealistic beauty standards can be especially harmful to young users. “Influencer content should not lead to feelings of inadequacy or low self-esteem. Moreover, despite clear rules, creators often do not differentiate between reviews and advertisements, leading to misunderstandings. We invite you,” Kumar said.
But what has changed for the better is that beautification originated from the salon and has now become a daily ritual. “It’s not by appointment. The world doesn’t decide when I look good. It could be for the office or for the gym,” Narayan said.