Are celebrity-founded hair care lines doomed to fail or is the category actually primed for growth?
The hair care industry has been infiltrated by a new wave of celebrity brands this year, with Rihanna, Beyoncé, Rita Ora and Blake Lively entering the space.
It seems like a smart move when the global hair care market is projected to generate US$93.74bn this year and grow nearly 3% annually until 2028, reported market analyst Statista.
But can these brands sustain themselves past the launch buzz?
With any celebrity-founded brand, regardless of how A-list they are, without access to the star it is not going to survive
“Celebrities are entering hair care for the same reason we saw them segueing into skin care last year, because it has blown up and they are looking for a piece of the pie,” says Stacey Levine, a Brand Marketing and Communications Consultant.
“But the industry is really fatigued with celebrity launches, so something has to be really special and done really right in order to break through.”
Some brands have been met with approval, but others have faced criticism for lacking authenticity.
None more so than Blake Lively’s ‘strengthening’ hair care range Blake Brown, created in partnership with beauty group Give Back Beauty, which launched in August.
Blake Lively's hair care range Blake Brown has had mixed reviews
Getting the timing right
The American actress has come under fire for promoting Blake Brown alongside the press tour for It Ends With Us – the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel which touches on the topic of domestic violence, in which Lively stars as Lily Bloom.
Not speaking out about the film's complex subject matter and rumours of a feud between Lively and the film’s director Justin Baldoni have also added to the negative press.
“The debut being underpinned by the movie tour has been problematic,” says Rhea Cartwright, a strategic consultant for beauty brands.
“Blake and her team should have had the foresight
Not yet a Subscriber?
This is a small extract of the full article which is available ONLY to premium content subscribers. Click below to get premium content on Cosmetics Business.
Subscribe now Already a subscriber? Sign in here.
