The Celebrity Factor
The launch of Rihanna’s “Fenty Beauty” took the beauty industry by a storm. Partly due to Rihanna’s celebrity or maybe the groundbreaking ad campaigns and promise of inclusivity and diversity like never offered by any brand before, there was no stopping the rise of Fenty – leading to 500 million euro sales in its first year and catapulting Rihanna to Forbes’ Billionaires List.
A part of this venture is her lingerie brand SavagexFenty, which is all about embracing individuality and confidence via her coined “bad gal” attitude. Rihanna has leveraged her growing popularity online to completely revolutionise and eliminate any negative or ‘risky’ connotations that come with promoting a lingerie brand.
What Led to Savage X Fenty’s Massive Growth?
But that’s not the only thing that contributed to the brand’s success, Fenty’s innovative consumer-centric strategy was a disruptor, its growth outpacing any other in the highly competitive beauty industry category.
Fenty realised the power of social media platforms and thus turned to user generated content with the help of its audience to drive engagement. A large proportion of its marketing budget goes into non-traditional channels – social media and influencers. And the result? It rose to a cult status – influencers, users and even celebrities themselves wanting to be a part of it.
“Demographically, customers are 35 percent Black, 30 percent white and 20 percent Latina”
Natalie Guzman, Savage X Fenty co-president and chief marketing officer
Besides that, the inclusion of ethnic, body and gender diversity is reflected in the sales demographics. “Demographically, customers are 35 percent Black, 30 percent white and 20 percent Latina” – Natalie Guzman, Savage X Fenty co-president and chief marketing officer, said while commenting on the diversity of their consumer base. The brand has worked to forge authentic connections with its customers, making sure it gives everyone a platform to express themselves and feel closer to the brand with its viral hashtag #SavageX.
A Look at SavagexFenty’s Extensive Influencer Marketing Program
Savage X Fenty is always finding ways to stand out amongst other lingerie retailers and it’s done that again with its steady stream of high-impact user generated content also. The #SavageX campaign reflects the brands ethos of fearlessness, confidence and body positivity. It gives influencers and consumers a chance to be highlighted on the company’s socials by uploading un-retouched pictures of themselves in the brand’s pieces.
Since the company operates solely online, UGC has helped it maximise its reach by being promoted on its brand ambassadors and influencers’ social media accounts. Its success can be credited to their online presence, they offer shipping to over 210 countries and its own subscription service that has now turned into a trend in retail.
The brand claimed an extra foothold by launching its own Influencer Marketing Program that can be found on their website too. Is Savage X Fenty working with Influencers? *(pic) Their “influencer-first” strategy and partnership program offers flexible contracts, transparent reports and proportional compensation for all influencers that work with it.
Who is the Real Winner Here?
Savage X Fenty realises that commissions and contracted payments are the livelihood for full-time social media influencers and creators. A further look into their program states “Savage X Fenty closely tracks campaign-driven incremental sales and full-funnel contributions on a performance basis so each partner can be fairly compensated for the value she produces”. This shows how the internet is, to speak with Nick Srnicek, ‘not only the infrastructure of economic transactions’ but also the “very oxygen that allows us to innovate, collaborate, produce, exchange and consume goods and services”.
The brand’s undeniable success serves not only as an example for others to drive sales but also as a company that users would be happy to be attached with.