Glossier’s Advertising Success Story: Lessons Learned and Key Takeaways

By Alex Aviza

Glossier took the beauty world by storm with its natural and seemingly effortless approach to beauty and customer-focused brand principles. The company was founded in 2014 on the principle that beauty brands should look for customer input when creating products. Its unique approach to innovation led to skyrocketing popularity in the past few years. I mean, who hasn’t heard of Glossier’s Cloud Paint? 

Figure 1: Glossier’s cult-classic blush, Cloud Paint, is a top-rated product. 

The brand has built a loyal following and expanded its reach through unique marketing strategies. Keep reading to learn about some of the main components of Glossier’s successful advertising approach.

Behind the Brand

In 2010, before the brand Glossier existed, Glossier’s founder Emily Weiss had a beauty blog called Into the Gloss. The idea for her blog came from the realization that, at the time, beauty brands lacked customer input. Weiss was working at Vogue, where she saw a lack of conversations with consumers across the beauty industry. Instead, beauty companies simply told women what they should buy. She saw an opportunity to leverage social media to invite consumers into conversations about product creation.

Figure 2: Into the Gloss was started by future Glossier founder Emily Weiss.

The blog quickly grew into a hub of information about various beauty products. Soon, blog followers regularly shared the beauty products they were using and why, as well as those they wished existed in the market. 

After establishing a loyal community following, Weiss launched Glossier, a customer-centric brand that promoted embracing natural beauty with sheer to light coverage makeup. According to Glossier’s website, Weiss noted that she “became more and more aware of how flawed the traditional beauty paradigm is. It has historically been an industry based on experts telling you, the customer, what you should or shouldn’t be using on your face.”

The About page on the Glossier site notes that it still draws inspiration from the Into the Gloss blog when consumers post about products they love and wish existed in the beauty world. 

Figure 3: Glossier’s marketing strategy centers around the belief that beauty isn’t built in a boardroom.

Instead of telling customers what to buy, Glossier listens to its audience to create products based on their needs. The closeness between the company and the consumer creates an intimate and effective advertising strategy that may naturally make people inclined to use and promote the product.

The beauty brand has rapidly grown into one of the most recognizable brands among Millennials and Gen Z, largely thanks to its advertising and marketing strategies.

How Does Glossier Promote?

Glossier started out as a direct-to-consumer business model, meaning there are no intermediaries or other places to get their products. This business model gave Glossier first-hand access to customer feedback and data. Glossier then uses this information to create new products, monitor emerging trends, and advise marketing campaigns. Now, Glossier is sold at other stores such as Sephora.

Similarly to its business model origins, Glossier uses direct-to-consumer promotion to create buzz about its business. Glossier has a hands-on approach to its promotion process. For example, the brand promotes its products on Into the Gloss and Instagram. This way, the company controls its relationship with customers without third-party intervention. 

The direct-to-consumer strategy has helped to promote products and establish the brand as an iconic beauty company.

1. Promotion on Into the Gloss

Into the Gloss still has a strong following and is updated regularly. The beauty website mainly features interviews about people’s beauty routines and products. Glossier products also appear on the site organically. For example, a Glossier product may appear in an interviewee’s beauty routine. 

Because of the established trust of followers of Into the Gloss,, it is not seen as a pushy marketing tactic when Glossier products are featured on the site. Rather, the product promotion seems organic. Promoting Glossier products directly to consumers is beneficial for maintaining a loyal customer base and continuing to evolve the brand.

2. Promoting on Social Media  

Glossier’s Instagram account features user-generated content, product tutorials, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the brand’s culture. Brand users organically promote the products on social media by doing tutorials and reviewing products.

Figure 4: The Glossier Instagram account currently has over 2.7 million followers and claims the brand is a “people-powered beauty ecosystem.”

Glossier fostered a sense of trust and loyalty among its fan base with Into the Gloss followed suit with their Instagram. As a result, the fans grew with the brand, becoming the first to buy, promote, and support the products. Glossier’s Instagram account is a hub for consumers to connect and exchange product information.

Glossier’s strong social media presence is one of the critical aspects of its marketing strategy. Glossier uses Instagram to engage its audience through stories, polls, Q&A sessions, and posting aesthetically pleasing pictures on its grid.

While stellar beauty products are important, so is the right advertising. Connecting directly with customers and meeting their needs is a Glossier specialty. Glossier was one of the first beauty brands to leverage social media in this way, and it proved to be an effective marketing strategy. The brand’s social media approach is authentic and relatable, focusing on community-building.

Who Does Promotion for Glossier?

1. User-Generated Content Creators 

Glossier takes advantage of its online community by re-posting user-generated content on social media to market products. The purpose of user-generated content is to promote the products to an existing audience by producing authentic content.

At its core, Glossier is a brand designed with real customers in mind. The same is true for their marketing strategy. User-generated content makes Glossier product consumers part of the marketing process. Creators posting about Glossier products online market the product to other current customers. The idea behind this type of marketing is that everyday consumers are more likely to use or repurchase products if they see other consumers doing the same.

2. Influencers

Glossier utilizes influencer marketing to reach new audiences. The brand partnered with a range of influencers to showcase its products. Glossier created an affiliate program, Generation Glossier, where influencers can promote the products to their friends and followers, receiving a commission for their collaboration.

Figure 5: Glossier’s affiliate program is called Generation Glossier.

Glossier recently leveraged the power of celebrity marketing to promote its products. The brand partnered with actress and singer Olivia Rodrigo as their first-ever celebrity partner.

By partnering with influencers who embody the brand’s ethos, Glossier has reached a wider audience and built credibility with potential customers.

Who Does Marketing for Glossier?

Glossier has an in-house marketing team responsible for leading brand and product marketing strategy, curating social media feeds, and running marketing campaigns. Roles on the marketing team include, but are not limited to, Chief Marketing Officer, Brand Marketing Manager, and Influencer Marketing Manager. 

As stated, much of Glossier’s promotion is done on social media, motivated by user-generated content, influencers, and Into the Gloss followers. As a result, the marketing team’s purpose at the company is unique. Glossier marketing is driven by who the Into the Gloss blog followers are, their Instagram community, and who the marketing team understands Glossier fans to be. This strategy differs from other beauty brands whose marketing teams generate ideas in boardrooms. At Glossier, the marketing team relies on consumers to navigate the brand.

Why Did Glossier Get So Popular?

Now that we’ve explored how Glossier established itself as a brand and how it promotes its products, let’s dive into the main drivers of its popularity. 

Inclusive Marketing

Glossier is often praised for its inclusive marketing approach. The brand’s marketing campaigns feature models of all ages, races, and body types, reflecting the diversity of its customer base. 

The company has also been at the forefront of the skin positivity movement, encouraging customers to embrace their natural skin texture and imperfections. The brand’s makeup products are light coverage and natural. The brand encourages consumers to participate in the “no makeup makeup” look. The brand’s “skin first, makeup second” philosophy has resonated with customers looking for an effortless approach to beauty.

Innovative Product Launches

Glossier is successful in creating hype around its product launches. The brand uses social media to tease new products and generate excitement among its followers.

For example, when Glossier launched its cloud paint blushes, the brand released a series of Instagram videos featuring models wearing the blush in a variety of shades. The videos had playful captions like “Puff, Beam, Haze, and Dusk — the gang’s all here. Cloud Paint is now available!”

By building anticipation around its product launches, Glossier created a sense of urgency among its followers, leading to sold-out products and long waiting lists.

The Power of Packaging

One of Glossier’s most recognizable features is its minimalistic, pink packaging. The brand packages products in sleek, aesthetic containers. The packaging is also functional, with easy-to-use pumps and applicators.

This minimalist approach has helped Glossier stand out in a sea of overly-complicated beauty product packaging. The brand’s baby pink packaging is instantly recognizable and has become part of its aesthetic.

Figure 6: Glossier uses clean, aesthetic packaging across the brand.

Retail Strategy

Glossier has taken a unique approach to retail. The brand has created experiential, Instagram-worthy spaces that showcase its products. For example, the brand’s store in New York City features a showroom-style layout that encourages customers to interact with the products and take photos. Glossier also launched pop-up shops in cities globally, generating buzz and excitement around the brand.

Product Development

Glossier’s innovative product development strategy centers around creating products that are easy to use, versatile, and enhance natural beauty. The brand focuses on creating products that solve everyday beauty problems and are accessible to a wide range of skin tones and types.

The brand’s marketing and advertising strategies revolve around creating an authentic, relatable brand that resonates with its audience. By leveraging social media, influencer marketing, and experiential retail, Glossier has built a loyal following and expanded its reach. The brand’s focus on creating accessible, easy-to-use products has also contributed to its success.

Ending on a Glossy Note

Glossier’s advertising success is attributable to effective advertising strategies. Emily Weiss built the brand on an already established, loyal community that values authenticity, inclusivity, and natural beauty. Glossier differentiates itself from other beauty brands through its direct consumer connection and pioneering use of social media.

The brand’s success wasn’t overnight. The brand’s accomplishments are a case study for effective and trailblazing marketing. As the beauty industry evolves, it will be interesting to see how Glossier adapts its marketing and advertising strategies to remain relevant.