Many beauty enthusiasts worldwide are well aware of the term Maybelline. It is an iconic brand that’s available to consumers around the country. Maybelline is a leading cosmetic company in the beauty industry, producing some of the best makeup in the industry. Most people think of mascara when they think of Maybelline. However, there’s a lot about Maybelline that we don’t know. The brand has developed a broad customer base consisting of budget-conscious shoppers and professionals. It provides consumers with over 200 products and is considered the number one global cosmetic brand. That’s why this article explores the history of the brand and the marketing strategies they use to create such an impressive buzz about themselves.

Maybelline History: A Love Story

Before Maybelline Cosmetics came to be, there was a young woman named Maybel Williams. The story of the Maybelline brand began in 1913 when a Chicago chemist Thomas Williams had a dilemma. He had an older sister called Maybel, and she was in love with a man who didn’t return the feelings. To win his love over, Maybel turned to the cosmetics available to her at the time, which was petroleum jelly. She used this product to enhance her natural lashes and brows. However, Thomas Williams had a better idea of increasing her allure. 

He suggested adding carbon dust to petroleum jelly to dramatically darken her lashes and eyebrows. Luckily for Maybel, the product worked, and she was able to win over her man within two years. Although Thomas Williams came up with a mascara-like product in one trial, he had to partner with a pharmaceutical company called Parke, Davis & Co to achieve his goal. The first product they created together was called Lash-Brow-Ine before becoming Maybelline. Afterward, Thomas started the company and named it after his sister and her favorite beauty aid, Vaseline.

Thomas secured an office near his Chicago home in little time and called it Maybell Laboratories. He marketed the new product in the newspaper and only sold it through mail order. After this mascara-like product, the company came up with the Maybelline Cake Mascara. This product was the first modern eye cosmetics made for use every day. Like the Lash-Brow-Ine, it was only available to purchase through mail order. However, it became so popular that many women started inquiring about the product in drugstores.

Maybelline Created a Market of Makeup Wearers

This brand helped to forward the youthful fashion trend of makeup in the 1920s. Maybelline history also reveals that the brand created an eyebrow pencil in red soon after. Several eyeliners and eyeshadows followed this. The brand then took advertising to the next level and earned a name as the first cosmetic company to advertise on the radio.

It was quite a challenge to market makeup to women back in those days; it was a revolutionary idea in the 1900s. Cosmetics were usually left to the theater and women outside the pale of good society. In the 1900s, few women used lipstick, eye beautifiers, and other apparent improvers of facial appearance. Therefore, Thomas had his work cut out for him, and he had to achieve this with small capital. Although he had excellent products to offer, he had to make the women believe it was perfectly normal to use these eye beautifiers.

To achieve this, Thomas started using silent film stars in his advertisements. With this action, he effectively demonstrated to women what their eyes could look like. He also successfully extended makeup beyond the cinema. Thomas’s goal was to make women more conscious of their eyes and open them up to the possibilities of making them more alluring. He needed to break down prejudice to sell his products successfully, and that’s what he did.

Maybelline History – Target Market

Few people can talk about the cosmetic industry without mentioning Maybelline. It is one of the most popular brands globally, and its target audience is women between the age of 15 -45 years old. This includes women from all backgrounds. The Maybelline brand has become more contemporary for women of all races in recent years. Most girls start using makeup from about 16 years. Therefore, they’re the most targeted group.

However, the brand uses appropriate marketing strategies to advertise its products to all groups. The brand takes note of the different groups’ wants and needs and tries to meet them. Therefore, Maybelline has introduced a wide variety of products that women of different ages can use. Now that we’re well aware of the Maybelline target market let’s explore the company’s marketing mix.

Maybelline Marketing Mix

Marketing mix refers to the activities included in marketing a company’s products. All the marketing mixes focus on promoting sales and growing the customer base. This section will examine the Maybelline marketing mix and how the framework is set up.

Maybelline Product Strategy

Maybelline’s target market is young girls between 13-24. The brand also focuses on working moms. Most makeup lovers love this brand because of its availability and wide product range. Maybelline is one of the biggest beauty brands globally, and it offers products for different face shapes and sizes. Their broad product range includes cosmetic products for lips, faces, nails, and eyes. The brand also provides consumers with accessories related to makeup and cosmetics to keep up with today’s competitive market.

Maybelline is continually coming up with new releases every time. This is important for Maybelline to advance its products from different avenues. This strategy helps it gain a good advantage over its competitors. The brand has been successful and is a leading company in the cosmetic industry today.

Maybelline Price Strategy

Throughout Maybelline history, the pricing strategy has been successful in products and performance. The company uses standardized prices for its products to facilitate loyalty amongst customers while increasing product demand. This strategy is a significant factor in the success of the brand. The company understands that not every woman can afford the high prices associated with cosmetic products. Therefore, the brand aims to create a vast market for its products by launching affordable products without reducing quality. 

Maybelline has its roots in an approach that emphasizes value for all consumers, including those who can’t afford it. The company launched a product line with an affordable price range to achieve this. This cosmetic line targets middle-class working women and succeeded in making the brand more popular with women of different classes.

Maybelline Place Strategy

When it comes to placement, Maybelline is available in over 129 countries worldwide. It is a company that’s present in varying market segments, including e-commerce, drugstores, specialty channels, and even traditional mass retail. With a strategic consolidation in different beauty product concerns, Maybelline has been able to gain strength in many competitive market segments. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company saw a 47% increase in its e-commerce sales. Additionally, the company is expanding in India due to the increasing female spending power and their preference for quality products.

Maybelline Promotion Strategy

Maybelline utilizes traditional and digital mediums to promote its vast collection of products. The two types of advertising have helped the brand build a loyal customer base while increasing its brand recognition. Maybelline uses various social media platforms to draw attention to its products. The brand relies heavily on user-generated content on media platforms like IGTV and YouTube. On the other hand, it also uses traditional advertising platforms like national magazines and newspapers to remain in the spotlight.

Maybelline also offers discount offers and promotional newsletters to their many subscribers about the various new products they’re releasing. The company is also famous for using the 360-degree campaign to promote its exposure. It conducts shows, beauty pageants, and several beauty-related events globally. The brand usually uses its tagline in its promotional content to reassure consumers that its products will make anyone beautiful.

Maybelline Marketing Strategy

Today, most consumers want to know how they will feel if they try out your products. That’s where Maybelline marketing strategies come into play. Throughout Maybelline history, their marketing strategies cover collaborations, digital promotions, sponsorships, and brand ambassadors. Below are a few marketing strategies Maybelline employs to stay on top.

Collaboration Strategy

The beauty industry is quite competitive but just as lucrative. While some cosmetic companies focus on a specific demographic alone, Maybelline sometimes collaborates with Puma and Marvel to create personalized products. These collaborations also help to promote the makeup giant to multiple and new audiences.

Brand Ambassadors

Recently, Maybelline began to market its products worldwide by signing a couple of celebrity brand ambassadors. One of its global ambassadors is Gigi Hadid. The brand also utilizes brand ambassadors in different countries to showcase diversity and promote its products.

Social Media for Marketing 

Maybelline is a professional when it comes to social media marketing. The company took note of the increasing popularity of social media among women. Therefore, the brand utilizes social media to spread the word. It also collaborates with young influencers to promote the brand on these platforms. These influencers encourage women to post their pictures after makeup on their social media pages while using the Maybelline hashtag.

The brand’s strategy is to create visual content that will be appealing to the public. Maybelline’s platforms to provide informative tips and makeup advice are Pinterest and Instagram. The brand also offers high-quality content on these platforms. These contents will encourage people to share on their private social networks while discussing their content with friends.

Virtual Beauty Shop

Another marketing strategy that works powerfully for Maybelline is the virtual beauty studio. It is an online makeup tool that helps customers find their perfect match regarding size, skin tone, or style. This makeup tool works instantly, and you can choose from various shades and products. This helps you determine the ideal Maybelline product for you, and this strategy has worked excellently since its launch.

Final Thoughts

Mabelline is a leading cosmetic brand with a vast range of products. Maybelline history shows that it built the brand on a love story, and with the right marketing mix, it has grown to be a beauty giant in the cosmetic industry. Its different marketing strategies enable the company to stand out from the competition while still retaining its interests. Maybelline is well placed in the industry as it upholds marketing as a vital element. The company is able to create awareness and get people talking about their product releases despite the rising competition in the cosmetic industry today. This article briefly explains how Maybelline continues to achieve this impressive feat.