Clinique was born in 1968—right when the Baby Boomers were finding their voice and before they discovered their first wrinkle. But how to connect today's Milllennials to the best-selling Estée Lauder brand? Getting a younger generation to tune in and turn on to Clinique fell to Jane Lauder, granddaughter of Estée Lauder, who was named global brand president of Clinique in 2014.
Lauder did such a good job of making Clinique relevant to Millennials that she's been named Adweek's 2016 Brand Genius winner for health and beauty.
Lauder and her team developed a series of campaigns that would resonate with young women on a more personal level—and on the platforms where they'd be found. Central to the effort was Face Forward, a global digital campaign promoting the 3-Step System. Clinique tapped millennial influencer Tavi Gevinson and DJ Hannah Bronfman for ads that ran on the web and social channels like Twitter and Instagram. The young women shared their stories and advice, and encouraged others to do the same using the #FaceForward hashtag.
Lauder also launched The Wink, an online magazine featuring lifestyle coverage, career advice, interviews with influential women and, of course, lots of beauty tips. "It used to be that you'd get information from a beauty counter or a magazine editor," Lauder points out. "Now, people are coming to us for that advice."
It was all part of a concerted effort to connect emotionally with consumers who view the Clinique brand solely as a skin problem solver.
