Kylie Cosmetics Marketing Strategies

Kylie Cosmetics Marketing Strategies 

The marketing mix is made up of the four P's: product, price, promotion and place. For the purpose of this blog however, i have replaced place with packaging as when it comes to cosmetic brands, place becomes a very small and vague topic. there are three more P's that are used if you were to dig deeper into the topic. These three P's are people, process and physical evidence. The meaning behind the marketing mix is that all aspects of marketing link up well and combine together. Marketing is defined as "the distinguishing, unique function of a business" (Peter Drucker).

Marketing Mix Diagram

Kylie Jenner is possibly the most well-known nineteen-year-old of this age and is a brand herself. She is the youngest sibling of the famous Kardashian family. After Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner has the most amount of Instagram (79.9 million) and Twitter (18.8 million) followers. It is clear that Kylie Jenner has a very large influence over young people and this is what helped kick start her cosmetics line named Kylie Cosmetics. Other brands such as MAC on the other hand, does not have a large influence on their customers at all. When it comes to enforcing the marketing mix, Kylie Cosmetics know what they are doing.

Unlike Kylie Jenner, other brands such as MAC and Colourpop do not have a person to be the face of the brand therefore lack in the area of promotion. They did not begin by having a celebrity as the face of their brand let alone a celebrity that manages to make it into the news simply for what she had for lunch. 

MAC is one of the leading cosmetic companies in the world, most famous for their lipsticks. MAC is an exclusive brand and is not available to purchase in all cosmetic stores. MAC is sold in their own personal stores as well as House of Frasers and Debenhams however they are not available in Superdrug or Boots. They describe themselves as  "the world’s leading professional makeup authority because of our unrivaled expertise in makeup artistry". (MAC.com) 


Although Kylie Cosmetics and MAC - along with other brands-  have cosmetic products within the same price range, their marketing strategies are very different and this is shown throughout their brands.

PRODUCT/BRANDING

For an organisation, branding is extremely important and can single handedly change a consumers opinion on the brand. "An effective brand strategy gives you a major edge in increasingly competitive markets" (Entrepreneur). The definition of branding is"creating a unique name and image for a product in the consumers' mind, mainly through advertising campaigns with a consistent theme. Branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers." (Business Dictionary). 

Kylie Cosmetics was first established in late 2015 with her first product being the Kylie Jenner Lip Kit which aimed to give customers the look of Kylie Jenner for just $29. The name 'Kylie Cosmetics' makes it easy to recognize that the face behind the brand is the famous Kylie Jenner. As soon as somebody mentions the name 'Kylie' the first person that comes to the minds of young people is Kylie Jenner. Kylie Cosmetics have branded and marketed their products extremely well as they are very noticeable and can be recognized immediately. 

            

The lip kit released was designed to give customers and buyers the idea that they are buying a product that is a step towards them achieving the celebrity look. Kylie Jenner's Lip Kit colors were carefully chosen to be neutral and on trend which is why she chose to make mostly nude and everyday shades as this is what is popular at the moment. Jenner chose and designed colors that filled a gap in the market but there is a high demand for. The first lip kits she released are shown below. 

After the release of the original three colors, Kylie Cosmetic released more Lip Kits - two of which were named after members of her family that were well known to the public - which also sold out within minutes. This benefited Kylie Cosmetics greatly as even someone who is not a lipstick fan or even a Kylie Jenner fan would be more likely to purchase the lip kit as it is dedicated to their role models either Kourtney Kardashian or Khloe Kardashian (shown below).

Khloe Kardashian

Kourtney Kardashian

Kylie Cosmetics then branched out and began to sell colors that are not your everyday casual and neutral colors. The brand released two shades (shown below) that were released for the USA In-dependence Day on the 4th July. These shades took the longest to sell out as they took just over 30 hours to completely sell out. 

Kylie Cosmetics also sold a Lip Kit Mini Set for the 19th birthday of Kylie Jenner which was a limited edition product (shown below). Although the products in the mini set are all available all the time in full sets, the packaging and the size of them is what makes them attractive to buy. I myself did consider purchasing this set but changed my mind as I realized I would much rather have full size versions of the few products I like rather than having mini versions of products i cannot choose. 

PACKAGING

The packaging of the products is something that is extremely unique and is instantly recognizable as soon as you lay eyes on it. The definition of packaging is described as "processes and materials employed to contain, handle, protect, and/or transport an article. Role of packaging is broadening and may include functions such as to attract attention, assist in promotion, provide machine identification , impart essential or additional information, and help in utilization." (Business Dictionary).

 The packaging for the original Lip Kits (shown below) is covered in the 'Kylie Jenner logo'. 

The lips used in the logo are Kylie Jenner's own lips which are extremely noticeable and recognizable. The box (shown below in picture A) in which the products come in include a note (shown in picture B) from Jenner herself, the box also is covered in the logo of the brand. The small but effective idea of including a note in the parcels that are shipped out change the entire way that Kylie Cosmetics comes across. Including the note shows that Kylie Jenner does take an interest in her customers and she values them.

Picture A

Picture B

By making the packaging individual and able to stand out, Kylie Cosmetics are differentiating themselves from other brands.

It has also been argued that the Kylie Jenner lip kits are not versatile enough to be used on all skin tones. An African-American Youtuber posted a video (linked below) showing that the lip kits did not hit her skin tone and that she can see when Kylie Cosmetics created the shades for the products, they did not take darker skinned customers into account

Review for Dark Skin Tones

However, there are dark skinned women on the internet reviewing the same products and saying that they are happy with the shades and do believe that they suit their skin tone. As a customer of Kylie Cosmetics that is of Pakistani ethnicity, my skin is relatively tanned and i have purchased three of the Kylie Jenner lip kits. I believe that two out of three of the shades i purchased complement by skin tone perfectly however the shade 'Maliboo' (shown below) was not suited to a tanned or dark skin tone. Apart from 2-3 lip kits on the website I would say that at least 15 out of the 21 available are suitable for my skin tone or darker. I would also say that not all tones are for all skin tones and brands cannot always create every shade with every skin tone in mind.

 

MAC on the other hand have made it very clear they cater for all skin types. Their website says "M·A·C celebrates diversity and individuality – we are for All Ages, All Races, All Sexes." (MAC website). The foundation shade range of MAC is extremely impressive as they have carefully considered all skin types. Unlike a lot of cheaper brands, MAC has not simply created light to tan shades, they have created shades from almost porcelain to very deep browns (shown below).

PRICE

Price is defined as "A value that will purchase a finite quantity, weight, or other measure of a good or service. In commerce, price is determined by what (1) a buyer is willing to pay, (2) a seller is willing to accept, and (3) the competition is allowing to be charged. With product, promotion, and place of marketing mix, it is one of the business variables over which organizations can exercise some degree of control." (Business Dictionary). 

Kylie Cosmetics took this into huge consideration when deciding prices for their initial products, as a newly starting brand they were aware that they could not start at an expensive and over the top price. However, due to the name and celebrity associated with the brand, it was clear to them that they had a certain amount of lee way when it came to pricing. The price of Kylie Cosmetics products are ranging between $14 to $325 with the cheapest item being a lip liner (shown in picture C below) and the most expensive item being the Holiday Collection Bundle (shown in picture D below).

Picture C

Picture D

It is definitely not the cheapest brand in the cosmetic industry and although it is fairly expensive, there are similar products on the market for more. It is argued that Kylie Cosmetics is too pricey and the only reason that the brand is able to charge these prices is because of Kylie Jenner herself (twentysomethingliving.com). Some argue that instead of paying for a luxury product, you are paying for the name and again, the celebrity. The Tab wrote an article (linked below) titled 'Sorry Kylie, You're Too Expensive' which discusses how they tested Kylie Jenner's products against cheaper brands such as drugstore brands and dupes. The conclusion the writer came to was that Kylie Cosmetics is far too expensive for the quality you receive. Another 'scandal' that Kylie Jenner as been involved in in regards to her brand is linked below also. 

http://thetab.com/uk/2016/07/12/tested-kylie-jenners-lip-kit-basic-brands-see-lasted-longer-8123

http://www.teenvogue.com/story

One of the brands that Kylie Cosmetics is competing with is Colourpop. this particular brand is relatively cheap with their liquid matte lipsticks (the same product as Kylie Cosmetics) retailing at just $6 or $4.80 as they are currently and regularly on sale. This is only a fraction of the price of the Kylie Cosmetics product which is extremely similar. Colourpop also have a bigger range of shades (shown below) and since they are cheaper, people will be more likely to purchase more as they are willing to spend $6 and get a wrong shade rather than $17.

PROMOTION

The definition of promotion of a product is defined as "an advancement of a product, idea, or point of view through publicity and/or advertising." (Business Dictionary). 

In terms of promotion, Kylie Cosmetics has a huge advantage. Not only can the brand promote their product launches in the traditional and same way as other brands, they can also use the celebrity side of the organisation. In 2014, rumours began that the famous Jenner had received lip fillers to enhance the size of her lips; she even sparked the Kylie Jenner lip challenge (example shown in the link below courtesy of Daily Mail) which enticed young people to plump up their natural lips by sucking the air out of a shot glass and leaving it on their lips in order for them to swell up due to the lack of oxygen. This attracted more attention than she expected especially as she wanted to keep her lip fillers a secret for as long as possible. This definitely helped towards attracting attention to her as a person which in the end made her idea to create a brand more fitting. Kylie Jenner may have used to concept that a scandal or uncovering of the truth would boost her popularity as all publicity is good publicity.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3047484/Disturbing-new-Kylie-Jenner-challenge-sees-teens-suck-shot-glasses-blow-lips-double-size-disastrous-results.html

In terms of advertising, Kylie Jenner is extremely active on many social media networks which provides her with numerous platforms on which she can announce and advertise her cosmetic products. With Kylie Jenner being the most followed person on Snapchat, posting pictures and details of her new products allow as many people as possible to view them. Jenner posts pictures and swatches of her products on Snapchat before they are released to the general public which allows potential customers to see what they are buying from the celebrity herself. She also wears the products herself and applies it onto her friends who have different skin tones and lip shapes which lets the customers see that the products actually do what she claims they do. By seeing the product on Kylie Jenner herself, it helps her fans to believe they will have the "Kylie look' by buying her products. It also adds a certain element of trust as people believe that the products actually do work as Kylie Jenner herself is using them.

Jenner speaks briefly about the making of her company on her website when she says, "After two long years of dreaming about this, I am so excited to finally share my cosmetic secrets with you guys. Kylie Cosmetics℠ is a collection of products I created working with my amazing team in our lab to design the perfect ‘Kylie look’. I can’t wait to see how beautiful everyone is going to look." (Kylie Cosmetics 2016).

By using the phrase ‘cosmetic secrets’ Jenner is giving the impression that she is uncovering what makes her so 'attractive' and 'perfect', this gives the impression that she is sharing a personal secret when in fact the formula was newly developed for sale release. Jenner has had procedures and injections which gave her the 'Kylie look' and of course as the formulas for the lip products were made at a later date it can be argued and has been argued that the Kylie look cannot be achieved just by her cosmetic products. This may result in some disappointed customers as they are buying into the idea they are purchasing the Kylie Jenner look.

With Kylie Jenner being a celebrity, the assumption is that all of her make up is done by a professional on a daily basis and this is how she achieves such a flawless look. However, on social media she has mentioned multiple times that she often applies her own make up and uses her ow products. This gives the impression that anyone can achieve the look of a celebrity if they purchase products from Kylie Cosmetics. Many people would be put off a product if they do not see it in use by someone they look up to as a role model as by Kylie Jenner showing proof she applies her own make up it gives her customers a sense of trust and reliability as they are seeing it in action.

Another way that Kylie Cosmetics promotes their brand is by sending out PR packages to influential people such as Youtubers and bloggers. The brand recently sent out packages of her Holiday Edition products that have not been released to the public yet. They were sent to Youtubers such as Diana Saldana (review shown in the link below) who has over half a million subscribers and Instagram famous Bretman Rock who has 6.6 million followers. Bretman Rock is known for being outspoken and giving his true and honest opinion on things so a positive review from him would make a huge difference in sales. By sending PR packages of unreleased products in the collection, Kylie Cosmetics is allowing the influential public figures to give their own personal opinion on the products and post it online for their fans and the public to see.

Kylie Jenner Review

As a person who often purchases high end cosmetic products, i am wary of spending such a large amount of money without seeing the opinions of others. By watching Youtube videos and reading blogs of people who have reviewed the products, customers feel more confident buying a product if a majority or all of the reviews of the product they would like to buy is positive.

Although MAC haven't had the advantage of having a celebrity to be the face of their brand, it doesn't stop them from working with them. Viva Glam lipstick is a collection by MAC that collaborates with different celebrities such as Ariana Grande (lipstick shown below). This helps sales as fans of Ariana Grande may not be fans of MAC but due to this collaboration, they are more likely to buy the lipstick as their role model has been part of the creative process.

Up until now, Kylie Cosmetics has only been available online and only on her website. Jenner made it clear that she does not give permission to other manufacturers to sell her products. This did infuriate many people as her products usually sold out within minutes of release so they were not able to purchase the products they wanted until Kylie Cosmetics did a restock.

She announced a pop up shop (see below picture) at Westfield Topanga in California. The doors officially open on Friday 9^th December and will only stay open for as long as stocks last; this probably will not be any longer than a few days as her products on the website tend to sell out within minutes.

By having a pop up shop, Jenner is teasing her customers with the chance to see her in reality rather than from behind a screen up until now. This is one of the reasons the pop up shop is predicted to be so popular. The pop up shop is rumored to have a similar layout as her bedroom which is familiar sight to her die-hard fans as she regularly posts pictures and video house tours online for the public to see.

In conclusion, Kylie Cosmetics has a very substantial grasp on the marketing mix and the women behind the brand, Kylie Jenner, shows her knowledge of the marketing mix through social media such as Snapchat and Twitter. Many people do argue that you are paying for the brand and not the quality of the product and as I mentioned before, it does create negative reviews that will eventually impact sales. I personally believe that there are better products on the market, and they are most definetly cheaper. I believe by purchasing Kylie Cosmetics brands you are first and foremost paying for a brand name and the fact that you can say to people that you are purchasing the brand of Kylie Jenner.