People
People is the pillar in the cosmetics industry which focuses on the relationship between a company and its consumers. At the present time, Generation Z is the generation that has a huge impact on the industry, which is due to their values that differ to the previous generations (McKinsey & Company, 2023).
According to Priporas et al. (2017), the members of Gen Z have a different behaviour compared to earlier generations. There are four factors that can define generation Z as customers:
- An interest in new technologies
- An insistence on ease of use
- A desire to feel safe
- A desire to temporarily escape the reality they live in
These four factors have been created due to the political, social, technological, and economic changes this generation has faced.
As an outcome of generation Z having different customer needs, it is important for companies to conduct research and look at different trends. Figure 1a shows the employer branding process, which is a company’s outward message about who they are and what their goals are, as a brand.
One way a brand can attract Gen Z is by focusing on diversity – as mentioned earlier, this generation focuses on the desire to feel safe; which relates to the fact that one of this generation’s main focuses is diversity, which includes many dimensions, such as race, gender, religion, identity and sexual orientation (Pandita, 2021). Figure 1b shows a graph asking Gen Z and Millennials how important it is to them that a fashion brand shows it is pro-equality and pro-diversity.
A beauty brand that has responded to diversity is Kohl Kreatives. Trisha Daswaney, the founder of Kohl Kreatives, has been bullied as a teenager. Makeup was an activity that helped her boost her self-esteem, which is what inspired her to start her own beauty brand. One of the brand’s goals is to help other individuals that struggle with low self-esteem and disabilities, and even help transgender individuals that are currently going through their transition (Baird-Murray, 2020).
Creativity and critical thinking are two key skills for a successful cosmetics brand. Creativity is important in order for a cosmetics brand to be successful as employees can come up with different ideas, leading to the development of an innovative cosmetic product, leading to the attraction of more customers. Critical thinking is also an essential skill as it allows for individuals to analyse information and to decide validity of said information and other statements (Lunt et al., 2001).
Reference List
Baird-Murray, K. (2020) 5 Brands That Prove Inclusivity Is More Than Just An Extended Foundation Range. Available from: https://www.vogue.co.uk/beauty/article/inclusivity-brands-beauty-industry (Accessed 14th October 2023)
Lunt, B.M. and Helps, C.R.G. (2001) Problem solving in engineering technology: Creativity, estimation and critical thinking are essential skills. In ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition (Vol. 803, pp. 1-9). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Richard-Helps/publication/268259349_Problem_Solving_in_Engineering_Technology_Creativity_estimation_and_critical_thinking_are_essential_skills/links/551ad90f0cf2fdce843829c6/Problem-Solving-in-Engineering-Technology-Creativity-estimation-and-critical-thinking-are-essential-skills.pdf (Accessed 14th October 2023)
McKinsey & Company (2023) What is Gen Z? Available from: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-gen-z (Accessed 13th October 2023)
Pandita, D. (2021). Innovation in talent management practices: creating an innovative employer branding strategy to attract generation Z. International Journal of Innovation Science, 14(3/4), pp.556-569. Available from: https://www.proquest.com/docview/2716495604?fromopenview=true&pq-origsite=gscholar (Accessed 13th October 2023)
Priporas, C.V., Stylos, N. and Fotiadis, A.K. (2017). Generation Z consumers’ expectations of interactions in smart retailing: A future agenda. Computers in human behavior, 77, pp.374-381. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563217300729 (Accessed 13th October 2023)
Image Reference List
Drapers (n.d.) Gen Z and Millennials. Available from: https://www.drapersonline.com/guides/gen-z-and-millennials (Accessed 14th October 2023)
Lybrand, S. A. (2018) Employer Branding: A Guide to Getting Started. Available from: https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/talent-acquisition/employer-branding (Accessed 14th October 2023)