In the ever-evolving world of beauty, one constant remains: change (ironically) is inevitable. In fact, the last two decades have seen an unprecedented acceleration in the transformation of the industry, driven largely by the rise of social media.
In Ep. 127, Conor sits down with Larissa Jensen, a beauty industry veteran with over 20 years of experience, and currently the SVP, Global Beauty Industry Advisor at Circana—“the leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior.”
In Ep. 127 of Earned, Conor sits down with Larissa Jensen, SVP and Global Beauty Industry Advisor at Circana. With more than two decades of experience in the beauty industry, Larissa shares how beauty standards have evolved in that time, and the pivotal role social media has played. We explore how the landscape is shifting from traditional department store dominance to a personalized digital marketplace for each consumer, before Larissa reveals the rise of “prejuvenation” trends among the youth. We then discuss the challenges brands face in today’s ever-changing market, and how social media analytics play a crucial role in brand performance. Switching gears, Larissa unpacks how Circana, born from NPD and IRI, provides insight into the connection between online buzz and sales. Larissa then lends her career advice, emphasizing the importance of curiosity and perseverance. To close the show, Larissa emphasizes the importance of finding joy in work—even the hard work!
We’ve included a couple of highlights from the episode below, but be sure to check out the full video above, or tune into the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen!
The following interview has been lightly edited for concision.
“I don’t feel like we have enough representation for the older consumer”: Larissa Jensen on the Importance of Representation and Inclusivity in Brands’ Influencer Communities
Conor Begley: You talked a little bit about connecting social media to sales. Have you seen brands and retailers become more sophisticated and understand that relationship more compared to when you first started?
Larissa Jensen: It varies. But at this point, I think every client, every beauty brand out there, has to have a social media strategy. It really is the cost of entry. It's an integral part of the new marketing plan.
Back when I was doing marketing, we didn't have that. In many ways, social media and influencers are just an evolution of the most basic advertising concepts. But, as you know, it's more than just reach. It's reaching the right audience with the right influencer.
I think that the majority of influencers in the market tend to be on the younger side. As an industry, it's important to have representation. We know this. It's all about inclusivity. I don't feel like we have enough representation for the older consumer. You want to be able to see yourself reflected in [the content].
You have a significant portion of the population and beauty consumers who are older than Millennials and Gen X. And now all anyone's talking about is Gen Alpha. The industry keeps focusing on young people. But I think that there is a gap in the influencer community, and in brands’ ability to connect with consumers in that authentic way.
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