Tag: Social Media

Using Social Proof to win the sale

Post author By Olivia Ford
Post date January 14, 2026

What is Social Proof?

Social proof is simply the concept of being influenced by what others do. As humans, we are deeply influenced by what others do. Social proof has been proven by behavioural science to be one of the most effective ways to nudge customers towards an action.

When Google released its Messy Middle study, they tested a number of different biases to determine which were the most effective in encouraging people to switch from their favourite brand to an alternative brand. This test proved that social proof was “the most powerful behavioural science mechanism to counteract discounting.”

Why is Social Proof so important?

People are overwhelmed with information and options, constantly bombarded by ads, marketing emails and search results. Empathise with your (potential) customers. Using social proof is important to help customers feel they’re making the right decision. People are naturally cautious and often reluctant to try something new, but by using some of the above tactics you can help to offer that reassurance and win the sale.

Here are 5 ways you could be using social proof to nudge customers towards a purchase:

1. Star Ratings & Reviews

Arguably the most important way to demonstrate social proof is articulating your credibility and building trust with your customer through genuine, authentic reviews.

Encourage Reviews: Ensure customers can leave reviews and rate your products.
Highlight Star Ratings: Display star ratings prominently on your website and product pages.
Use Schema Markup: Leverage schema markup to enhance the visibility of your ratings in organic search results.
Showcase Ratings in Ads: Platforms like Google Shopping allow you to include star ratings in ads, helping you stand out and win more clicks.

2. “X% of people said…”

Sharing statistics that show how many people trust your brand can be incredibly persuasive. For example:

“95% of customers would recommend our product to a friend.”
“One sold every 5 seconds.”
“8 out of 10 people preferred our product over the market leader.”

Use these stats in banners, product pages, or even checkout pages to reassure customers of their decision.

Brands like Victoria Beckham and UK Lash do this really well, promoting stand-out stats like “one sold every 10 seconds” online and in their ads.

3. User-Generated Content (UGC)

UGC is content created by your customers, normally in the form of video or photo content, that shows their experience with your product.

Customer generated content: Allow customers to upload images of themselves using your product directly to your product pages or tag you on social media. Reviews with photos are also very effective.
Incentivise sharing: Offer incentives like discounts or competition entry, to encourage customers to create product content for you. This content can also be leverages on your socials and in ad content (providing usage rights have been agreed).

We love how REFY utilises it’s content from it’s customers, using it across the website and on their socials. It adds extra authenticity and builds a strong sense of community.

4. Case Studies and Testimonials

Highlight detailed stories of how your product has made a difference for real customers.

Real customer stories: Create a “Customer Stories” or “Inspiration” section on your website to showcase your community’s love for your brand.
Create dedicated case study pages that outline the problem, solution, and results, where possible using video testimonials to prove authenticity.

5. Bestseller and Trending Labels

Mark popular products with labels like “Bestseller,” “Trending Now,” or “Customer Favourite.”

These labels not only guide customers but also create a sense of trust because others have already chosen those items.
Showing how many times the product has been purchased can also be an effective subconscious nudge that the product is popular and other people like it, therefore it is worth considering.

At Foundation, our specialist teams of beauty enthusiasts live and breathe digital. Beauty isn’t just what we do, it’s what we think about, non-stop! We’re driven by a genuine passion for helping beauty brands define their niche, and grow to the next level. Take a look at some of the brands we’ve helped. Whether you’re looking to boost online sales, increase visibility through SEO, or elevate your social channels with impactful content and strategy, our team is ready to help. Get in touch today and let’s build something amazing together.

Tags Competing Online, Consumer Trends, Social Media, Strategy

Insights

The power of nostalgia marketing within the beauty industry

Post author By Olivia Ford
Post date August 20, 2025

Juicy tubes nostalgia

Beauty is an industry that thrives on innovation and reinvention, so it’s unsurprising that some of the best campaigns we’re seeing right now are those whose roots are in the past. Nostalgia as a marketing tool is the strategy of tapping into consumers’ fond memories and past cultural touchpoints, and right now we’re seeing it appear all the time in beauty. So, why is it resonating so strongly and how can brands harness this tactic?

Why does nostalgia marketing work so well for beauty brands?

Emotional connection – beauty has always been deeply personal so if a brand references past eras or cultural moments or products that a consumer grew up with, it allows them to speak to consumers on a deeper level and it’s very likely that it will immediately spark an emotional response which helps build trust and a connection with that brand.

Social media virality – nostalgic products and moments are easy to share and often do very well on social media, garnering lots of likes, comments and shares. Throwback TikTok trends and Instagram retro aesthetics always get shared and consumers love sharing things that remind them of happy past times. Throwback moments and products encourage natural UGC making nostalgia a great social media growth tactic.

Comfort in familiarity – in a world that has so much turbulence and uncertainty right now, by fondly looking backwards, consumers can find a lot of comfort through this familiarity. Recognisable scents, packaging or products can be like emotional anchors to consumers, comforted by the sentimentality of the past and it helps them feel authentically connected to the brand.

Helping appeal to a broader audience – by referencing cultural moments from the past, it helps younger brands resonate with a wider, older audience. Using 90’s trends in your products and marketing will resonate with millennials who lived it the first time round while also appealing to Gen Z audiences who may be discovering the trend for the first time.

Which brands are doing it well?

There are some brilliant nostalgia marketing examples from brands like Lush, MAC, Lancôme, Jo Malone, Urban Decay and even younger brands like Kylie Cosmetics.

Lancôme launched their iconic Juicy Tubes in 2000. After discontinuing them in 2018, by 2020, lip gloss once again came back in style, and Lancôme revived their iconic Juicy Tubes – with huge success. This is a great example how bringing back cult favourite, discontinued products uses nostalgia branding to tap into past trends and build authentic connections with old and new consumers alike.

Kylie Jenner is a Gen Z icon, so Kylie Cosmetics isn’t the first brand you’d expect to lean into Gen Z nostalgia marketing, but it has done so successfully on several occasions. One standout example for me was the brand’s Freddy Krueger Halloween collection, which came packaged in a VHS-inspired box. This clever design didn’t just give consumers makeup but also a nostalgic experience of unboxing a VHS tape which older generations would have been very familiar with.

British brand Jo Malone has leaned heavily into nostalgic marketing in many ways. It has been utilising its British heritage and creating scents that are quintessentially British and undoubtedly nostalgic to many. Like Paddington Bear’s orange marmalade scent, it’s Raspberry Ripple ice cream scent and their campaign featuring Tom Hardy, utilising Hardy’s British roots and love for London, all of which evoke a strong sense of familiarity and an emotional connection for many.

How brands can utilise nostalgic marketing effectively?

Brands can achieve nostalgic marketing through various strategies, from utilising past trends in their packaging, their product assortment to creating nostalgia marketing campaigns that trigger strong emotional connections with consumers by stirring sentimental feelings.

If you’re already working with influencers and want to try tapping into nostalgia marketing to see how effective it can be for your brand, there are many influencers that are recreating 90s and 2000s beauty looks. This can be a relatively low effort, but authentic way to tap into throwback trends while creating potential viral content opportunities.

Something that brands that use nostalgia marketing need to be mindful of, is that campaigns need to be authentic and relevant to your brand and your demographic. To create the desired impact, it’s important that brands choose the right cultural moment and/or the right collaboration that’s meaningful for your brand. Tapping into nostalgia isn’t just about reusing old ideas, it’s about carefully reinventing them so they’re culturally relevant to today’s society and specifically to your audience.

If utilising nostalgic moments is something you’re interested in, or if you have questions about your digital strategy, get in touch with us today. Our trend-led digital marketing specialists can create tailor made strategies that will see your brand stand-out.

Tags Competing Online, Consumer Trends, Social Media

Insights The Latest Look

Why IRL brand activations are essential for beauty brands

Post author By Olivia Ford
Post date June 9, 2025

As digital marketers, you might think we’d always advocate for digital everything and reinforce that the most effective marketing happens solely on our screens. But for beauty brands, this isn’t always the case. IRL (in-real-life) brand activation events are experiencing a powerful resurgence, and for good reason.

IRL beauty pop-ups and events are powerful examples of brand activation marketing, designed to create immersive, memorable moments that create an emotional connection, spark real consumer engagement, create a social buzz, and of course (and importantly!) improve digital performance.

What is a brand activation and are they new?

Event brand activations are interactive experiences designed to engage consumers and to help bring a brand to life in a memorable, experiential way. While IRL activations are growing in popularity and scale, they certainly aren’t new. In fact, they’ve been part of beauty marketing for decades – think about the in-store makeovers at department store beauty counters in the ‘80s and ‘90s. These were some of the earliest forms of activation- personal and very effective.

In the 2010s, as ecommerce and influencer marketing surged, beauty activations became more experiential – think Glossier’s pink-themed pop-ups or Benefit’s hugely popular “Browmobile.” These events were as much about photo ops and buzz as they were about product trials. And then the rise of Instagram made them a key tool in every beauty marketer’s playbook.

Fast forward to 2025: we’re seeing a wonderful hybrid where physical experiences are being designed with digital impact at the forefront.

Source: Beauty Bible

Why do IRL activations work so well for beauty?

Beauty is inherently sensory – it’s all about the textures, scents, shades, and feel. Unfortunately for digital, these senses are hard to replicate online, the smell of a hair oil or how easily absorbed a hand cream is. IRL activations offer:

Social proof: Seeing others engaging IRL builds trust and FOMO (fear of missing out).

Hands-on product testing: Reduces buyer hesitation and increases confidence.

Emotional connection: Being part of a brand moment creates memory and loyalty.

How IRL events can supercharge your digital channels

IRL brand activations don’t just drive foot traffic – they boost digital performance across key channels. Here’s how:

Social media

UGC goldmine: Aesthetic events = content creation zones. Beauty lovers snap selfies, tag the brand, and help amplify your reach.
Real-time engagement: Lives, stories, and Reels from the event extend its lifespan far beyond the day itself.
Creator collaborations: Brands invite influencers to attend and share, organically reaching thousands (maybe millions).

SEO

Earned media coverage: Activations often get written up by beauty editors, driving backlinks and referral traffic.
Branded search: Brand buzz leads to spikes in search volume for your brand name and key product lines.

Digital PR

Press-worthy moments: Editors and journalists love reporting on IRL experiences – especially those with a visual appeal or a unique brand story.
Influencer relationships: Activations provide face-to-face time with creators, strengthening partnerships and future campaigns.

Best beauty brand activation examples

Here are some of our favourite beauty brand activation campaigns:

Source: Summer Fridays Instagram

Summer Fridays just hosted their “Sweet Shoppe” pop-up in SoHo, New York. They celebrated the launch of their new Pink Guava Lip Butter Balm. Attendees enjoyed sweet treats, exclusive merchandise, and early access to the product before its official release. The activation created a lot of buzz on TikTok and Instagram, with users creating a lot of their own content, sharing their experiences and unboxing the new product.

In April 2025, Cult Beauty hosted a one-day-only event in London’s Fitzrovia, to celebrate their ‘In Bloom’ campaign. The event transformed a gallery space into a floral-themed beauty wonderland, featuring luxury brands like Fenty Beauty, Jo Malone, and Kate Somerville. Attendees enjoyed immersive experiences and exclusive product offerings.

Kylie Cosmetics and Boots teamed up for a four-day “Glam Park” pop-up in London’s Covent Garden, creating an immersive brand experience with VR, consultations, games, and giveaways. The activation drove over 206,000 consumer engagements, boosted brand awareness to 70%, and helped sell more than 600 products.

The Ordinary has recently elevated its IRL strategy with science-led pop-ups designed to educate and engage. In London, the “Unlocked” pop-up offered facials and skincare masterclasses, while in NYC, they staged a thought-provoking pop-up titled “The Secret Ingredient” to highlight how celebrity endorsements inflate product pricing. Both activations successfully blended education and experience, reinforcing their USP – their commitment to transparency.

What are the KPIs for brand activation?

KPIs for brand activation marketing go beyond just attendance at the event. For beauty brands, success should be measured through metrics like in-event engagement e.g. samples taken and social media mentions, shares and UGC. Brands should also closely consider post-event traffic spikes, newsletter sign-ups, and PR coverage and backlinks. Downstream effects such as SEO uplift in rankings, improved brand sentiment, and increases in product sales are crucial indicators of a successful activation.

The future of beauty is ‘phygital’

Phygital (physical + digital) marketing isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a strategic necessity. For beauty brands, IRL brand activations offer a unique opportunity to connect on a human level while fueling high-performing digital content and coverage.

Whether it’s a fully branded pop-up, a presence at a beauty festival, or an intimate press dinner, the key is to design experiences that are:

Shareable (for social)
Searchable (for SEO)
Newsworthy (for digital PR)

IRL brand activations are no longer just a “nice-to-have” for beauty brands. In a competitive digital space, the brands that connect offline and amplify online are the ones driving real loyalty, visibility, and conversions.

At Foundation, we help beauty brands maximise the impact of their brand activation marketing through strategic content and digital PR, helping transform their IRL events into high-impact campaigns that benefit digital channels like SEO and paid advertising. Get in touch with us today for more information.

Tags Advertising, Social Media, technical SEO

What is Social Proof?

Why is Social Proof so important?

Here are 5 ways you could be using social proof to nudge customers towards a purchase:

1. Star Ratings & Reviews

2. “X% of people said…”

3. User-Generated Content (UGC)

4. Case Studies and Testimonials

5. Bestseller and Trending Labels

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