Iman Cosmetics Vs Black-Up Essay

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Black|Up and Iman cosmetics share the same demographic. Both brands are trying to reach the multicultural beauty market. With black women spending an “estimated $7.5 billion annually on beauty products, shelling out 80% more on cosmetics and twice as much on skin care as their non-Black counterpart,” reaching this demographic is essential for both cosmetic lines (Bryant). In courting this market, Black|Up and Iman cosmetics differ in marketing strategies. Black|Up cosmetics specifically targets women of color. According to Audrey N’Gadi, a Black|Up representative, the brand targets “black and mixed women aged 25 to 35 years old who search for a brand with expertise and products specifically tailored to match their needs” (Griffin). The brand …show more content…

It is a high-end, professional cosmetic line (The Independent). It is unique because within the beauty industry there is not a luxury high-end brand that specifically caters to black women. Brands like Estée Lauder offer a multitude of shades, but they do not specifically create products for women of color. Thus, as a luxury brand, Black|Up’s products are more expensive because it offers high quality makeup. For women of color, who have been ignored by the industry for decades, to finally come across a luxury makeup brand catered to them is powerful. It sends a message of inclusion and recognizes them as worthy consumers. According to CEO Lionel Durand, the brand wants “to be stocked next to the likes of Chanel at posh makeup counters” (Wischhover). Its biggest competitors are other luxury makeup brands that are now starting to cater to the same market. Durand sees MAC as its biggest …show more content…

Although the brand name is about makeup, not skin color, customers worldwide have come to embrace the name (Wischhover). It speaks to the greater need for inclusion in the cosmetics industry. More importantly, it recognizes and celebrates the unique and intrinsic beauty of ethnic skin (Brown). The brand proved that marketing to black women doesn’t require a celebrity endorsement. The key is offering quality products. A majority of their outbound marketing is done on platforms catered towards their target market. The cosmetics line is featured on magazines like Essence, O Magazine, and Ebony. Magazines that cater to black

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