“Were we expecting 8 billion impressions? No. But we were hoping to become viral, and more importantly for us was making sure that our community was engaging and sharing,” Faby Torres, global CMO at Gap, told moderator Lauren Finney Harden onstage at Brandweek.
“Our purpose is to champion originality and self-expression,” Torres added.
Self-expression, of course, means a wide range of backgrounds and viewpoints. Catering to real consumers of all expressions is a tall order. It demands high degrees of curiosity, empathy, and adaptability.
Another brand determined to meet consumers where they are is beauty retail giant Sephora, which has for years evidenced a commitment to equity and inclusion in beauty.
“Beauty is self-expression,” said Anne Cambria, the company’s senior vice president of marketing for brand, retail, creative, and insights. “And our job as a brand is to help amplify the diverse voices and wanting to be the most diverse beauty retailer there is. In humanizing that, sharing the stories, sharing the client stories, their journeys with beauty, [we can achieve that].”
The company is embodying this message in much of its marketing. Last month, the retailer worked with Rare Beauty on a push for youth mental health. In August, the company became an official partner of Athletes Unlimited Softball League, a new professional league for women. Around the same time, its The Perfect Shade For You campaign promoted diverse identities across the Asia Pacific region.
For Sephora, speaking to the diversity of perspectives across its client portfolio and vast consumer base helps position the brand as a leader in the beauty category.
“How do you have this authority as a brand or retailer in this world where it is all about self-expression and It’s about how you empower your clients,” Cambria said. “What we really try to pay attention to is our community and really understanding where and when there’s different content or voices that we need to amplify so that our clients can see themselves within those communities. That’s how you kind of become that authority for them.”
As the lively conversation wrapped Monday afternoon, one takeaway became clear: The future of style will be defined by real people.
