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It can be hard to stand out in an industry as oversaturated as the cosmetics market. However, beauty brand Milk Makeup – founded only three years ago – has done it flawlessly through their use of social media platforms, especially Instagram. Here at IDG Advertising, we’re always examining how other brands successfully utilize social media to improve their digital marketing strategy, and this month we’ll be taking a closer look at Milk Makeup.
What is Milk Makeup?
Milk Makeup is an NYC-based makeup and skincare company created by the founders of Milk Studios, a famous full-service photography studio based in NY and LA. Their branding is modern and minimal with a rebellious spirit; white, gray, and transparent product packaging provides a minimal and gender-neutral appearance that allows the colors of their products to pop even more. Their demographic is described as low-maintenance Millennial cool girls, and the vast majority of their products are cream products in a stick or tube form that allow easy, no-fuss application on the go.
How did we discover Milk Makeup?
Like most of Milk Makeup’s 1.3 million Instagram followers, we discovered Milk through word of mouth and social media coverage. As we explored their social media profiles further, we were impressed by their branding consistency and how well they appealed to their target demographic. They push boundaries and grab attention with their cannabis-themed products and risque captions, but they support the hype with high-quality products that result in organically-generated promotions for their products on platforms like Instagram and YouTube.
How well does Milk Makeup know their audience?
Milk Makeup knows exactly who their audience is and how to grab their attention. They’ve mastered the social media game, especially on Instagram, and have used that to their advantage, promoting products like their cannabis-infused Kush range, which became a viral sensation virtually overnight. They not only feature official promotional product photos on their platforms, but they also repost photos from influencers, makeup artists, and other followers who tag the brand. By showing support for those who purchase the products, they encourage other followers to do the same – buying products and posting photos with them in the hopes of being reposted to Milk’s page. This is mutually beneficial since it results in more sales and more exposure for Milk at no cost to them.
What can you take from Milk Makeup?
In an oversaturated and constantly-evolving cosmetics marketplace, Milk Makeup has managed to stay ahead of the curve and make a name for themselves right from the jump using social media marketing. Here are a few things we can learn from Milk Makeup:
- Don’t be afraid of color. Although Milk’s packaging is famous for being neutral, their social media platforms certainly are not. If you visit their Instagram, their page is flooded with vibrant greens, blues, and purples. These colorful posts not only work to create a beautiful profile page, but they also grab your attention when seen on your feed as a standalone post. Try to embrace more color in your social posts, even creating a color-specific theme that corresponds with the season or newest product launch.
- Stay true to your roots. Milk Makeup originated in NYC, and Milk has strived to stay true to its urban roots since its launch. In 2017, Milk collaborated with The Center in NYC for Pride month, donating 50% of proceeds from their Glitter Stick sales to The Center, an LGBTQ+ community center. They recently also collaborated with NYC-based hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, releasing an exclusive range of lipsticks with them. These partnerships pay homage to Milk’s underground New York roots and are a celebration of self-expression, in line with Milk’s mission as a brand. Make sure that your partnerships feel organic, remaining aligned with your company’s mission statement while still appealing to your demographic.
- Inclusivity is important. Milk Makeup knows that inclusivity is a high priority for their Millennial and Gen X demographic. By using male models, LGBT+ models, plus-size models, and women of color in their promotional photos, they’ve earned the respect of their audience and drawn in consumers who may feel alienated or neglected by other less-inclusive beauty brands. Social media has made the world a lot smaller, and social awareness is more important than ever. Make sure that your brand’s social media posts are inclusive and don’t exclusively feature a narrow target demographic. Your target market may be of a certain age, race, or gender, but those outside of that demo will likely use your products or services too and want to see that they matter to you and your company.
From their founding in 2016, Milk has always had modern and minimal products that appeal to a contemporary audience. By maintaining strong branding, staying on top of the latest Instagram trends, and familiarizing themselves with their audience’s priorities as consumers, they’ve been able to make themselves a viral sensation and powerhouse beauty brand in just three short years. We’re thoroughly impressed with Milk Makeup’s social media game, and we’re inspired to try to replicate some of their magic going forward.
Stay tuned for another social shoutout next month! If there’s another brand with a killer social media game, don’t hesitate to let us know. We’d love to check them out!
