It has been a tricky few months for Glossier.
In January this year, the beauty label was forced to lay off a third of its corporate team, which showed the cracks in the company which has had a cult-like following since its inception. "The brand's low-maintenance, cool-girl ethos was a well-timed antidote to society's collective burnout from over-lined lips, perfectly angled eyebrows, and cut crease eyeshadow — looks that required a steady hand, a stable of products, and lots of time," wrote Highsnobiety's Alex Pauly, highlighting that Glossier's downfall was inevitable – Reddit had already been talking about it for months.
Glossier's ethos has always been "you, but better," and with its minimal approach to beauty, it became the go-to for feathered brows, glossy skin, and perfectly blushed cheeks. Now, however, we've seen plenty more brands enter the market with the same approach, and the competition has made it tricky for the brand to maintain its relevance – especially since the rise of the celebrity beauty brand. "A lot of other brands have piled on to the minimal beauty trend in recent years, so Glossier isn't as special anymore," wrote a Reddit user. Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty is a direct competitor to Glossier, and has become a fan favorite. Personally, I love the products, and most people seem to be echoing my sentiment across social media. With Selena Gomez as the label's direct marketing tool, it reaches both her audience, as well as the beauty community, resulting in relevance that is beyond just a good product.
It goes without saying that celebrity marketing works, and Glossier has finally had to jump on the bandwagon, and who better to showcase its youthful and playful aesthetic than Olivia Rodrigo? When glossier was founded in 2014, Rodrigo was only 11 years old. She would have completely missed the label's come-up, and its #GirlBoss marketing, millennial pink branding, and everything that made Glossier a favorite for 20-and-30-somethings for years. But, she's now able to introduce the label to a whole new audience – Gen Z. With 24.5 million Instagram followers, and 13.8 million TikTok followers, her reach stretches far beyond Glossier's humble 2.6 million.
By tapping Olivia Rodrigo as its new face, Glossier has unlocked a whole new pool of consumers, and it might just be what it needs to save itself. But, it might need to change. Gen Z is all about self-expression, and Glossier's minimal aesthetic might need some more color and experimentation. Perhaps, there's even a Rodrigo collection down the line that features her signature face stickers from her album Sour, or some of her favorite Y2K references. Glossier has struggled to stay relevant over the past few years, but with Olivia Rodrigo – perhaps one of the most relevant artists of today – fronting its campaigns, it's only up from here.
