During 2020 and 2021 we have seen a lot of beauty brands leaving the market due to Covid19: some companies didn’t survive the stores closures, others because the production costs became too expensive to be profitable. Just before the pandemic began, Mia Cosmetics CEO decided to change the commercial policy and, thanks to this well-timed change, the brand takes advantage from the slowdown in the industry to push its rebranding project.
But this kind of projects aren't easy to achieve quickly, and it requires a lot of planning, development, testing, briefings, meeting, swatching, naming, and all the activities behind a single makeup item.
THE (EXCITING) CHALLENGE
I started my cooperation with MIA in October, 2020 working on communication for the launch of all the products and collections which remained on production standstill because of the lockdown. Those products, with an improved quality and an early stage inclusive approach, were the opportunity, for Mia, to show a new face with a communication strategy capable of underlining that something new is happening in the company. Mia abroad was stronger than in Italy and the main revenues came from overseas. The biggest challenge for me was to give back the motherland to the brand! We started properly from those makeup launches to begin that escalation to reach both new b2b and b2c audiences.
Progressively the hardest game was to redefine the entire product range handling the rebranding project from A to Z.
THE (KEY) CRITICALITIES
As things stand in 2020, Mia had more than 500 make-up references on their store with a few skincare items, a little crew of engaging references capable of creating loyalty and too many old-fashioned items with a “dupe attitude”. The shade offer wasn't inclusive enough, especially in an era where it's a mission for the beauty industry to satisfy every skin color and needs with brand like Fenty Beauty which based its communication starting from a 70-tone foundations.
In addition to an uncompetitive product range, the communication, in terms of visual above all, was even lacker than the product's proposal because of previous management issues.
Therefore also social media, marketing, ecommerce and more areas were affected like dominoes.
THE (MANIFOLD) SOLUTIONS
Our partnership evolved as quickly as the amount of activities I handled in the first 6 months, and for 2 years I managed Mia communication, creative direction, product development, marketing and a lot of hybrid and crossed responsibilities. The first communication step was to build a recognizable, authentic and innovative visual to be competitive as the main competitors, and the ADV Campaign produced for Glam Flow Lipstick first, and Beyond Coverage Foundation above all, mixed with the digital PR strategy were a turning point to boost awareness and attractiveness!
On top, 2021 represents for MIA the doorway to the skincare market and I worked with the amazing internal team to develop a huge launch of more than 20 references among face cleansers, exfoliators, masks and treatments with the inclusive purpose of satisfying all skin types, ages and needs. Meanwhile we increased and improved the makeup line as well, replacing the old-fashioned cosmetics with innovative, performant and competitive formulation as such as the Glam Flow Liquid Lipsticks with 40 different shades, professional but customer friendly brow products (Set & Define Brow Palette, Shape & Volume Brow Mascara, Slimmy Brow Ultra Fine Pencil) a complete makeup collection with polished eyeshadow and face palette (RESET collection), face powders (Tan Builder and Cheek Freak), a skincare set collection (Skin Cuddles).
Launch after launch I raised the bar of communication, images and ADV, reflecting quality and performance level. I developed the press office, building strong relationships with trade magazines (b2b/b2c) and spreading the renewed commercial policy to buyers and distributors. The initial digital PR strategy, instead, was focused on qualified content creators able to appreciate product performances during the rebranding process and showing contents in order to increase web reputation, link building, awareness and so on. The tip of the iceberg was usually the ADV campaigns that I always run with dedication thanks to a close professional production team!
THE (INCREDIBLE) RESULTS
By the end of 2022 Mia Makeup and Mia Proskin are available in 26 countries around world (Mexico, Malaysia, Dubai, Qatar, Australia, Emirates, and more), increased the italian revenues, gained important places on digital platform like Douglas IT and ES, landed on Coin department stores, opened new stores, reached new distributors and make a difference during Cosmoprof 2022 with 3 amazing booths hosting thousand new customers and hundred new international partnerships. The new formulations and the premium product performances let Mia be loved by professional make-up artists worldwide, appreciated by people with different cultures and beauty needs thanks to the inclusive range and an ally for men and women around the world who loved taking care of themselves with efficient active ingredients in skincare. And I'm proud I gave my expertise for this flagship made in Italy success.