Author: Aina Sablan, Entrepreneurship Educator
The beauty industry is a highly competitive multibillion-dollar industry, with global revenues valued at more than USD 532 billion in 2019. According to recent studies, the global beauty market is expected to reach USD 805 billion by 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.3% between 2020 and 2027.
This industry includes makeup, skincare, hair care, fragrance, and personal care products, as well as hair and nail salons, spas and wellness centers, and aesthetic clinics, to which beauty companies constantly use a variety of strategies to stand out to compete and meet changing consumer needs and preferences.
In the digital age, graphic design is relevant for creating advertising materials, packaging, designing logos, and creating user-friendly websites, mobile apps, and Social media content that will help to increase brand awareness and drive sales.
Advertising and Marketing: Promote Product Benefits
Beauty companies invest significant amounts of money in advertising and marketing. Advertising and marketing are essential because they enable businesses to reach out to potential customers and raise awareness of their products and services. Companies can differentiate themselves from competitors, build brand recognition, and ultimately drive sales and revenue through effective advertising and marketing.
According to Zion Market Research, the global beauty and personal care market are expected to reach USD 265 billion by 2024, with the advertising and promotion segment growing at a 6.5% CAGR during the forecast period. Companies in the beauty industry spend between 5 and 15% of their revenue on advertising and marketing in the United States alone. According to Kantar Media, even the world’s largest beauty company, L’Oréal, spent USD 4.3 billion on advertising.
Effective graphic design can help increase marketing and advertising strategies by clearly communicating important information about a product’s benefits, ingredients, and usage. This can result in increased brand trust and credibility, increasing the chances of a customer identifying, remembering the brand, and making a purchase.
Branding: Build Brand Recognition
Graphic design is essential for developing brand recognition. A well-designed logo enables the creation of a strong, consistent visual identity across
all branding and marketing materials for beauty companies. It helps a brand to establish its place in the market and make a lasting impression on consumers. So, what exactly is brand recognition?
Brand recognition refers to the ability of customers to identify a brand through its visual elements, such as its logo, packaging, and advertising. It is the ability of a customer to recognize a brand without being prompted.
One example of brand recognition with the use of effective graphic design is the iconic lipstick tube design of the beauty brand, MAC Cosmetics. The sleek black tube with the brand’s name in bold white letters is a well-known and iconic simple design that immediately draws attention and is easily recognized, even from a distance. It has become synonymous with the MAC brand, helping to establish the company as a beauty industry leader.
Packaging Design That Attracts Customers
Packaging design is a crucial aspect of graphic design for beauty companies. The packaging of a beauty product is frequently the first thing a customer sees, and it can have a significant influence on their decision to purchase the product. A well-designed package should be visually appealing, easy to read, and accurately convey the benefits and ingredients of the product. Graphic design can help a product stand out on a crowded store shelf and create a sense of trust and credibility in the brand.
One example of an effective graphic design for a beauty product is Glossier’s “Boy Brow”. The packaging is sleek and minimalist, with a white background and simple typography. The signature pink color of the brand is used as an accent, creating a subtle but effective pop of color. The product’s name, “Boy Brow,” is prominently displayed in a bold, sans-serif font, making it easy to read and remember.
The product image, a small pot of brow pomade, is also prominently displayed, showing what the product is seen first. The overall design is clean and modern, effectively communicating both the aesthetic of the brand and the purpose of the product.
Moreover, A study conducted by the University of South Wales found that packaging design can also influence consumer purchasing decisions by creating a sense of trust and credibility in the brand, and by making the product stand out on a crowded store shelf. It has also been found that attractive packaging design can increase consumers’ willingness to pay for a product and that packaging design can affect consumer perceptions of product quality, value, and safety.
E-Commerce Websites: Enhance Online Presence
With the rise of e-commerce and online shopping, many beauty companies are investing in graphic design to provide greater reach and accessibility to virtual customers. In fact, e-commerce has accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Statista, global online sales are expected to reach USD 6.5 trillion this year. These figures show that beauty companies rely on the power of graphic design to create and maintain a strong online presence on websites, social media, and online marketplaces.
E-commerce platforms offer valuable data and analytics that businesses can use to better understand their customers and tailor their marketing strategies. In this way, good graphic design can make a website that is easy to navigate, visually appealing, and easy to read. It makes it simple for customers to add products to their carts and purchase them, and it creates a positive experience, which can help a beauty company build trust and enhance its online presence.
Product Differentiation: Create an Emotional Connection
Product differentiation is the process of distinguishing one product from its competitors by emphasizing its distinguishing features and benefits. When done correctly, it can create an emotional connection with customers by appealing to their needs, wants, and values through personalization and customization of product options that are relevant to their interests and needs.
Given the market competition and rising demand for cosmetics and skincare products, graphic design can help create emotional connections with customers by differentiating a product through visual elements such as packaging, branding, and advertising. Graphic design can help a product stand out and appeal to specific target audiences by using colors, typography, and imagery that are consistent with the brand’s identity.
Graphic design can also evoke emotions and create a deeper connection with customers through storytelling and persuasive design techniques, leading to increased brand loyalty and sales.
Closing
Being at the top of the competition can mean increased revenue, profitability, and stability for a business, which is why many companies strive to be leaders in their respective industries.
It is essential to recognize that graphic design maximizes competitiveness, particularly in driving sales, building brand loyalty, and gaining more significant market share. As a result, many beauty companies rely on visual design to help them stand out in the market.
If you own a beauty and skincare business or sell beauty products via your retail or e-commerce store, then you would need to come up with relevant and exciting graphics to brighten up your promotion. However, doing this in-house or by yourself can take a big chunk out of your day. Expect to spend 2 to 3 hours daily to churn out quality images for your brand and products.
Win back those 2 to 3 hours and use them to grow your business or spend with your loved ones. Subscribe to Zipmade and we will take care of all your graphic needs without skipping a beat. Have a graphic artist, a backup graphic artist, and a project manager for the price of just one employee. Send us an email if you have any questions or if you wish to talk to an account executive.