The Glossier Effect: The Blueprint for Building a Cult Beauty Brand

The rise of Glossier wasn’t just a success story; it became the blueprint for modern beauty branding.

While much of the conversation surrounding Glossier today focuses on the brand’s current state, this week’s podcast episode explores the marketing activities that turned Glossier into a cultural phenomenon and reshaped the beauty industry.

Glossier created a playbook that countless lifestyle beauty brands have since followed. From a gift with purchase as iconic as the products themselves…

Glossier’s Pink Bubble Mailer and Merit’s Signature Bag

… to creating loungewear that sells out in minutes.

Glossier’s Pink Hoodie and Summer Fridays’ Cloud Sweatshirt

And of course, let’s not forget the pop-up phenomenon.

Glossier’s London Pop-Up and Rhode’s London Pop-Up

From Merit, Summer Fridays, Rhode, Saie, and countless more, Glossier has shaped today’s 'it-girl' beauty brands in more ways than one.

In today’s episode, we explore how Glossier redefined what it means to be a beauty brand, transforming it into something that feels more like a social club than a business. We unpack the lasting effects of The Glossier Effect and how these marketing innovations continue to shape the beauty world today.