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Colgate targets Gen Z with beautified oral care

CO. by Colgate, US

New York – Dental care brand Colgate is tapping into the interests of Generation Z with its new sub-brand CO.

In this new venture, which launches exclusively with Ulta Beauty, the brand is elevating routine oral care and repositioning it as a ritual for self-care. Featuring seven products, including toothbrushes, teeth whitener and toothpaste tabs, the line focuses on the potential of oral care to boost people’s self-esteem. Its iridescent branding takes visual cues from beauty brands and communicates the importance of smiling confidently and boldly as a means for self-expression.

‘As a beauty leader and preferred destination among Gen Z beauty enthusiasts, we know how important daily routines are to our guests' holistic wellbeing,’ says Monica Arnaudo, chief merchandising officer at Ulta Beauty. ‘CO. by Colgate turns the simple act of brushing one's teeth into a self-care ritual – and that's something to smile about.’

With its elevated aesthetic, CO. reflects how brands are re-inventing beauty and self-care for Generation Z, while satisfying the visual-first mindsets of this cohort.

Cadbury’s virtual egg hunt digitises Easter traditions

Worldwide Hide by Cadbury, UK

UK – Confectionary brand Cadbury has launched an online Easter egg hunt to enrich Easter festivities for families separated during the pandemic.

Cardbury’s Worldwide Hide uses Google Maps’ GPS technology to allow consumers to ‘hide’ a virtual egg anywhere across the globe. After the user sends their loved one a digital clue regarding its whereabouts, the recipient is given a time limit to find the egg. As a way to enhance the Easter egg hunt, Cadbury will send a real chocolate egg to players who correctly locate its digital counterpart, for a fee of £15 (€17.40, $20.80).

‘This year, we felt it was important for us to create something that would help people feel close, even when they cannot be together,’ says Markéta Kristlová, senior brand manager at Mondelez International, the conglomerate behind Cadbury. ‘There is something so generous in taking the time to hide an egg at Easter, and we wanted to capture that in a way everyone could do,’ she continues.

In our Revelation Brands macrotrend, we explore other brand campaigns that utilise GPS tools to encourage consumers to embark on Geo Quests.

Cleanlogic revamps packaging for the visually impaired

Nice and Clean by Cleanlogic, US

US – Bath and bodycare brand Cleanlogic is relaunching with socially inclusive branding as part of its Nice and Clean mission.

The brand, which offers a range of exfoliating accessories, is expanding its sustainable and responsible aims to provide a more accessible product offering. As part of its mission, Cleanlogic is catering to visually impaired consumers by introducing Braille across its packaging – making it one of the first in the bath and bodycare market to do so.

It aims to support the 25mn people in the US who are registered as blind or have low vision, both through its packaging and its decision to donate a portion of all sales to visually impaired organisations like the American Foundation For the Blind. ‘We believe feeling nice and clean is a basic human right and we want our products to reflect this 'Nice and Clean' position,’ said Isaac Shapiro, president and Co-CEO of Cleanlogic.

To learn more about how brands are diversifying their products and packaging to cater to differently abled consumers, read our Adaptive Beauty microtrend.

Stat: Inter-Covid beauty purchases rely on reviews

According to product review platform PowerReviews’ Changing Face of the Beauty Shopper Study, 41% of US beauty shoppers rely more on reviews than they did pre-pandemic.

The reliance on reviews skews more to a younger demographic, with 58% of participants belonging to Generation Z making up this cohort. When determining a product’s efficacy, 58% of consumers care about the volume of reviews and 49% refer to recent reviews. In comparison to purchasing products pre-pandemic, 38% of respondents consider user-generated imagery and video useful to purchasing beauty goods online.‘It’s no surprise that shoppers are relying more on validation from existing shoppers when making buying decisions now they are shopping more online,’ shares Andrew Smith, vice president at PowerReviews.

With peer advice becoming an increasingly important part of the purchasing process, digital platforms and Skincare Networks that enable consumers to discuss, learn and rate products are becoming integral to beauty and skincare retail.