Maybelline
Seasonal storytelling helped Maybelline reach new customers at peak shopping moments.
Goal
Standing out isn’t easy in the saturated beauty market—especially when it comes to Gen Z (ages 18-24). These super savvy shoppers are always on the lookout for the next big thing and a fun new idea. So, Maybelline wanted some bigger, bolder ways to reach them.
The team decided to anchor upcoming campaigns in specific seasonal moments when people actively seek new products and looks. They picked two big moments where Gen Z is especially active: Back to School and Halloween. Thanks to past success on Pinterest, they knew the platform was the perfect place to reach Gen Z as they discovered and tried new ideas.
Strategy
Maybelline knew they already had an active Gen Z audience on Pinterest. 48% of their engaged platform audience is Gen Z1 and Gen Z searches for “Maybelline” had grown significantly on Pinterest year over year.2 So when it came to their new campaigns, they decided to go really big with reach and relevance.
First, the team gathered Pinterest insights about trending beauty searches and emerging opportunities. Then, they used those insights to inspire their campaign creative. For Back to School, that meant creating ads around the “CorpCore” trend, mixing corporate vibes with back to school basics. For Halloween, the team focused on a mix of costume styles and the makeup you’d need to complete the look.
For both seasonal moments, Maybelline used a mix of ad formats and approaches. They ran Premiere Spotlight videos for maximum reach in people’s home feeds and search screens. This premium video solution has guaranteed placements and timing, so it helped ensure Maybelline reached people at the right time for seasonal messaging. Their attention-grabbing videos showcased makeup tutorials, trend showcases and celebrity “it-girl” inspired glam.
The team also worked closely with their creator network to develop more personal takes on beauty. The creators helped to make product reviews and tutorials like “Easy Zombie Cheerleader Glam”. By partnering with young creators, Maybelline was able to find a new way to forge stronger, more authentic connections with their Gen Z audience.
"As an enormous makeup brand, we know Pinterest is one of the key platforms where the Gen Z goes to find makeup trends. As we dug into the data, we saw that 48% of Maybelline’s engaged audience on Pinterest is Gen Z. As Maybelline, we represent all consumers, but we’re always trying to target new audiences; Pinterest is a key partner for us to help with both that all encompassing representation, as well as discovery of new audiences.”
Samantha Steinberger
AVP Head of Brand Engagement
Results
Maybelline's strategy delivered remarkable results across every key metric, including a direct increase in sales. Half of all purchases coming from new or lapsed customers who hadn't bought Maybelline products in over a year.3
Their campaigns showed great efficiency, too. A measurement study with NCSolutions showed that Maybelline’s campaign delivered 2x better ROAS than their cosmetic campaign benchmark.4
These impressive engagement figures translated directly to Maybelline's bottom line, prompting the brand to increase their investment on Pinterest by 90% year-over-year5—a clear vote of confidence in the platform's ability to connect with younger consumers during crucial seasonal shopping moments.
50%
of sales came from new or lapsed customers6
2x
ROAS compared to the NCSolutions cosmetics benchmark7
Explore Related Resources
Engage with Gen Z shoppers
They’re Pinterest’s fastest-growing audience, and they can grow your brand too. Learn how to reach Gen Z on Pinterest, from top topics to key shopping behaviors.
Find seasonal opportunities
Pinterest’s audience jumps headfirst into seasonal moments. Find the right moments for your brand in our seasonal moments guide.