Maybelline Faces Backlash Over Partnership with Bearded Makeup Influencer
Maybelline’s way to support the LGBTQ community for inclusivity is honorable but will this hinder the brand’s image?
In today’s world, you will find many national brands partnering with transgender actors and influencers in their ad campaigns to support the LGBTQ community for inclusivity. And the well-known cosmetic brand with their famous catch phrase “Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe It’s Maybelline”, has also done it. Yes, Maybelline. Depending on what product the brand is selling, a campaign in collaboration with a transgender beauty influencer may create both opportunities and challenges.
I personally love brands that empower LGBTQ people because some U.S states pass laws that restrict the rights on transgender individuals and I think that’s unfair. But when I saw this ad on Instagram, I was astonished. A bearded makeup guru applying hot pink lipstick to promote Maybelline’s products for Amazon Prime Day.
Maybelline posted this video on their social media accounts including Instagram and TikTok on July 12th 2023 partnering with a top influencer Ryan Vita. The brand faced backlash from viewers. From my point of view, I’m totally fine with the idea on inclusivity but I don’t feel right about this campaign. Does the image of lipstick application and bearded influencer mesh well?
Not only transgenders and women but also men are using cosmetics. In fact, 15% of heterosexual men ranging from 18–65 of age in the U.S use cosmetics. And additional 17% would consider using them in the future. I understand that Maybelline wants to market their brand as inclusivity but shouldn’t the brand project the image of their products for the majority of their consumers? And especially for lipstick usage, a large portion of the consumers are biological women. I might be too subjective but once I watched this post, I cannot imagine myself wearing those lipsticks. Does a bearded and bald figure resonates with the majority of the consumers who are seeking to improve their appearances?
After the social-media backlash, Maybelline didn’t literally posted any response to their viewers but from my observation, I see the brand reacted by not posting and promoting their products partnering with transgender influencers after that.
Maybelline’s Instagram account has 12,000,000 followers and 480,600 followers on TikTok. I am sure many followers purchase the brand’s products and when this kind of campaign is created, I presume it disappointed many consumers out there. After the incident, people will remember the post even if they don’t want to. It will probably take some time for the brand to improve their reputation and to win back their lost customers. Those negative comments that I have shown above, does aligned with how I feel about the brand. The purpose of advertising is to cater to the main target audience rather than to a insubstantial demographic group, isn’t it?
