Why the Sephora x TikTok Incubator Program Is A Smart Partnership

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Earlier this week, Sephora and TikTok announced a new joint venture with agency Digitas: an incubator program to help new beauty brands leverage creator content.

As part of the Sephora x TikTok Incubator Program, TikTok creators will teach select brands how to implement creator-focused social media strategies to drive growth and engagement.  

The first round of participating brands includes Hyper Skin, Topicals, and Eadem, selected from Sephora’s Accelerate program. These BIPOC-owned brands will learn from popular TikTok creators including Amy Chang (@bondenavant), Nyma Tang (@nymatang), and Rocio Lopez-Jimenez (@rocio.roses).

Why the Sephora x TikTok Incubator Program Makes Sense

For years, users have acknowledged the persuasive power TikTok has on their purchasing choices through the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, and few spaces have been as influential or lucrative as #BeautyTok.

From 2020 to 2021 consumption of beauty-related content on TikTok grew by 1,000%, and beauty brands have benefitted from the surge.

Beauty retailer Ulta reported an 18.2% increase in sales from 2021 to 2022 with annual revenue exceeding $10 billion for the first time in the company’s history. During this same time period, Sephra saw a 23% increase in sales earning a record-breaking $82.6 billion in revenue.

Sephora acknowledges the success of its stores is dependent on the success of the brands it carries. And the success of those brands is deeply impacted by having strong relationships with creators.

“Brands that have a savvy understanding of creator led social media and creator relations have a clear advantage in not only conceptualizing beauty content that resonates with their audience, but also in building genuine connections,” says Brent Mitchell, VP of Marketing at Sephora.

With this program, Sephora is investing in the creator-focused social media strategies of up-and-coming brands. The return on this investment will ideally come from sales driven by creators.

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