Why CoverGirl Went with a Cover Boy
Why would the 58-year-old CoverGirl brand sway from its namesake? Pure genius, say some in the marketing world, and more specifically, to keep in step with a younger generation, the so-called Generation Z, which is more open to “fluid definitions of gender and sexuality,” according to a recent Fortune article.
CoverGirl generated a lot of buzz when it formally announced 17-year-old makeup artist and social media star James Charles would be its latest CoverGirl spokesman.
Most marketers and media stories about shifting trends in the consumer goods world are currently paying great heed to the whims of the millennial generation, Fortune pointed out.
But Gen Z—individuals born after 1998—have become a fairly new target for marketers. That group, which accounts for a fourth of the population in North America, is the most ethnically diverse generation ever and influences $600 billion in family spending, according to a report commissioned by public relations and marketing agency Ketchum.
They also tend to be far more accepting of gender fluidity. A survey by branding expert J. Walter Thompson Intelligence finds that 56 percent of Generation Z know someone who uses gender neutral pronouns. Male vloggers are popular on Instagram and other social channels. And the popular TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race also highlights a broader acceptance of beauty products beyond the core cisgender female audience.
Charles serving as a CoverGirl hits a few key themes that should resonate with fellow teens. Charles is well established on social media: he has nearly 74,000 followers on Twitter and 587,000 on Instagram.
To read the full Fortune article, click here.
CoverGirl generated a lot of buzz when it formally announced 17-year-old makeup artist and social media star James Charles would be its latest CoverGirl spokesman.
Most marketers and media stories about shifting trends in the consumer goods world are currently paying great heed to the whims of the millennial generation, Fortune pointed out.
But Gen Z—individuals born after 1998—have become a fairly new target for marketers. That group, which accounts for a fourth of the population in North America, is the most ethnically diverse generation ever and influences $600 billion in family spending, according to a report commissioned by public relations and marketing agency Ketchum.
They also tend to be far more accepting of gender fluidity. A survey by branding expert J. Walter Thompson Intelligence finds that 56 percent of Generation Z know someone who uses gender neutral pronouns. Male vloggers are popular on Instagram and other social channels. And the popular TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race also highlights a broader acceptance of beauty products beyond the core cisgender female audience.
Charles serving as a CoverGirl hits a few key themes that should resonate with fellow teens. Charles is well established on social media: he has nearly 74,000 followers on Twitter and 587,000 on Instagram.
To read the full Fortune article, click here.