How e.l.f. Beauty Became a Gen Z Darling With Chief Digital Officer Ekta Chopra on What It Takes To Get To # 1
Get ready for an exhilarating episode of the Speed of Culture podcast, where I had the distinct pleasure of chatting with the Chief Digital Officer of ELF Beauty. We uncover the secret sauce behind ELF's phenomenal success as the number one Gen Z beauty brand, boasting an incredible 15 straight growth quarters. This captivating conversation takes us through their journey from aerospace and private equity to leading the digital charge in the ever-evolving beauty industry.
We delve into the art and science of leveraging data and creativity to navigate new frontiers in marketing, with ELF Beauty's Chief Marketing Officer and company culture as shining examples. Learn how to think like a consumer, tune into your community, and collaborate with other brands to stay ahead of the curve. On top of that, we discuss emerging trends, including OTT platforms, B-Rail, and AI-powered content creation. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights into the shifting landscape of the beauty industry and how to keep up with the speed of culture.
Title: 10 Valuable Insights from Ekta Chopra, Chief Digital Officer of ELF Beauty
1. Diverse thinking is essential for growth: Chopra's diverse background, from aerospace to private equity and technology, played a crucial role in her success at ELF Beauty. This diverse thinking enables her to challenge industry norms and think outside the box.
2. Prioritize consumer experience: ELF Beauty's mission is to be a "bold disruptor with a kind heart." The brand focuses on creating an empathetic, inclusive, and diverse consumer experience that resonates with their target audience.
3. Listen to your community: ELF Beauty's success is attributed to its strong connection to its community. The brand actively listens to its consumers, which helps them stay ahead of trends and create products that resonate with their audience.
4. Partner with other brands: ELF Beauty's collaborations, such as Chipotle and Lufu, were driven by insights from their community. These partnerships allowed the brand to expand its reach and cater to a wider audience.
5. Embrace new frontiers in marketing: ELF Beauty is known for being the first to explore new platforms like B-Rail, Twitch, and TikTok. By being early adopters, ELF Beauty can stay ahead of the curve and create innovative marketing campaigns.
6. Balance art and science in marketing: Chopra emphasizes the importance of leveraging data and creativity when exploring uncharted territories. This approach helps them create targeted and relevant content for their audience.
7. Focus on authentic influencers: ELF Beauty partners with influencers who have a genuine connection to the brand. By working with smaller, authentic influencers, they can create more meaningful content for their audience.
8. Tap into the content creator economy: With platforms like TikTok and B-Rail, content creation has become more democratized. Brands like ELF Beauty can tap into this content creator economy to create unique and engaging content for each platform.
9. Be willing to take risks: ELF Beauty's culture encourages its employees to take risks, break new ground, and learn from failures. This mindset has allowed the brand to stay innovative and agile in the fast-paced beauty industry.
10. Explore the potential of AI: Chopra acknowledges the potential of AI, specifically in the realm of content creation. As brands like ELF Beauty look to create tailored content for multiple platforms, AI-powered tools like chat GBT could help them scale their efforts effectively.
In conclusion, Ekta Chopra's insights into the beauty industry highlight the importance of diverse thinking, embracing new marketing frontiers, and a strong connection to the community. By taking risks, staying agile, and leveraging emerging trends, brands like ELF Beauty can continue to dominate the market and resonate with their target audience.
Key Highlights:
04:55 – 06:27 – e.l.f.ing the Beauty Industry – Chopra describes e.l.f. Beauty as one of the leading Gen Z brands and a bold disruptor with a kind heart. She believes that having an empathetic, inclusive and diverse lens is crucial for a great consumer experience.
09:40 – 10:42 – Moving at e.l.f. Speed – e.l.f. constantly challenges itself to innovate. The company also strongly engages with its community to listen to their opinions and feedback. Chopra advises brands to listen to their users, understand them and serve them better. She believes it’s also wise to surround yourself with partners who know how to operate and communicate in various channels, like TikTok.
10:43 – 14:10 – Gaming Partnership – e.l.f. Beauty dove into the gaming world to support female gamers. It partnered with Lufu, the second most-followed female gamer on Twitch, to learn more about the gaming community and create a product that speaks to that segment of consumers. Chopra also notes that not every channel is used for selling. Some are valuable in terms of engagement or support for community members.
14:10 – 16:20 – e.l.f. + Chipotle – E.l.f. noticed how the ingredient bar at Chipotle looked like an eyeshadow palette. The brands connected on shared values, leading to a successful and innovative partnership. The first campaign sold out in 4 minutes, and their co-branded product, the Avocado Sponge, generated buzz on Reddit.
17:06 – 18:03 – Micro Influencers and Gen Z – E.l.f. Beauty is stepping away from big, paid influencers and connecting with micro-influencers. For the company, micro-influencers are more diverse, authentic and connected with the brand and its audience, especially Gen Z.
20:34 – 22:40 – Be First. BeReal – E.l.f. Beauty is among the first brands to explore one of the fastest-growing social platforms, BeReal. This gives it the competitive advantage of testing, learning early and understanding how to show up authentically on this unique channel.
22:40 – 27:47 – Metaverse, AI and ChatGPT – Generative AI like ChatGPT, Jasper.ai and DALL-E is taking off. In a world that moves at the speed of culture, consumers and brands alike must learn to leverage this new technology. In addition to AI, e.l.f. focuses on tech like the metaverse and Web3 to understand how to show up on the platforms in a way that can be monetized in the future.
