“You don’t have to be all the same, all the time” – Rihanna
Rihanna, with real name Robyn Fenty is much more than a talented musician. She’s also a brilliant entrepreneur.
Through the years, she earned her revenue through her music, and in 2020 she became the wealthiest female musician in the world racking an estimate of $1.7 billion in fortune as estimated by Forbes.
This quick rise was made possible by the success of her albums including ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’ which sold 2.8 million units in the United States alone, 9 million units sold worldwide and received two-time-Platinum certification from RIAA.
The Barbadian singer released eight studio albums, one reissue, two remix albums, seven box sets and three extended plays.
Since 2005, Rihanna sold over a total of 250 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists of all time.
Rihanna being a successful musician isn’t stopping anytime soon as she ventures into creating a cosmetic brand, Fenty Beauty.
- Since its launch, the brand was named by Time Magazine’s best inventions of 2017.
- The first cosmetic product of its kind, the line launched 50 different shades of foundation and concealer that caters to various skin color and types.
- Aside from great media and consumer reviews during its initial launch, what’s unique about the brand is its inclusivity.
- It takes marketing to a whole new level, making consumers feeling deeply involved in the campaign. The inclusivity marketing of Fenty received international acclaims as it primarily features models of color, that inspired other competitor brands to do the same.
What Are Some of the Ways That Fenty Did to Raise Brand Awareness?
There’s not much science about it, no marketing prisms and jargons. The answer is just one word, Rihanna – and her name is incredibly powerful. The name itself equates to a brand and she for sure knows a thing or two about raising exposure through marketing and PR.
Because of Rihanna’s massive following on Twitter and Instagram with 109 million followers, 21 times larger than Kylie Skin and almost 30 times larger than Estee Lauder, that demographic alone is enough for a brand to get the message out there.
Maximizing its potential and utilizing the platform is what she did and oh boy, she did it in a perfect flawless “no make-up make up” look.
Rihanna’s Social Media Posts are Worth the Hype
Because Instagram’s user base is so closely aligned with Fenty’s ideal customer, it’s the perfect medium to utilize in order to connect with its target demographic. As a result of Rihanna’s social media postings, which showcased her using Fenty products candidly and genuinely.
The brand gained an appeal to people who lives and breathes online that resonates the brand’s values.
Rihanna also changed her Twitter strategy to promote Fenty Beauty by constantly engaging with her audience by retweeting the Fenty hype and replying to tweets related to the brand.
Markets that are now undervalued provide significant growth potential
Fenty Beauty drew attention to a need in the market that had gone unmet until a brand stepped in to fill it. Rihanna seized an opportunity with establishing a personal connection by actively listening to her fans.
With the help of Techstyle Fashion Group, she debuted her lingerie collection, Savage X Fenty, in May of 2018. With only 40 items, her first collection crashed the brand’s website before selling out in under an hour.
Consistent Use of Inclusive Marketing Strategies
It’s a well-known adage that the most outstanding marketing doesn’t feel salesy. And Rihanna is no exception to this rule. Because it isn’t a gimmick, she can successfully link diversity to her businesses.
The fact that Rihanna comes off as a genuine advocate of inclusiveness and diversity comes as no surprise. Not just because she is a woman of color, but because of the material she produces, the causes she supports, and the goods she advocates.
Chosen celebrities such as Cindy Crawford, Normani, Erykah Badu, Gigi Hadid, Jeremy Pope, Vanessa Hudgens, Ricky Martin and Emily Ratajkowski with drag superstars Gottmik, Gigi Goode and Shea Coulea presented a unique and diverse collection during its fashion show broadcast on Amazon Prime Video.
Parallel to the Fenty Beauty Cosmetics line, Savage X Fenty is indeed empowering and inclusive which allows consumers to feel confident about their body type where individuality is celebrated and being unconventional is legit endearing. It resonates belongingness, it taps a cord where no brand has ever touched before.
Beauty For All
To reach such a broad audience, Rihanna didn’t only depend on marketing and branding. Fenty created products that prioritized the needs of their customers. They want a comprehensive line of cosmetic products that emphasize diversity and inclusivity.
Fenty’s word-of-mouth marketing was off the charts because of the brand’s positive reputation and the products’ unique position in the cosmetics industry.
Fenty is not just all talk but at the core of it is that its products are of very high standard. There is no doubt that Rihanna’s emphasis on producing high-quality products with an inclusive market helped Fenty become the cult brand it is today.
