Fenty Beauty was started in 2017 by Rihanna. The star saw an opportunity to cater to a wide range of skin tones, particularly those that are often underrepresented in the beauty industry. The diverse shade range, inclusive marketing campaigns, and innovative products made the brand widely successful in the United States. They also market themselves as a cruelty-free brand, which many U.S. consumers look for in their beauty products.
The Fenty Beauty brand has received praise for its revolutionary approach to beauty and inclusivity, however, it faced many setbacks when trying to expand into the Chinese market. These challenges highlight the importance of international marketing communication in successfully penetrating new markets.
Photo by Amy Shamblen
USC Annenberg’s article, “Why Fenty Beauty Didn’t Make a Big Hit in China,” illustrates why Fenty Beauty’s marketing strategy failed to resonate with Chinese consumers. The brand’s focus on inclusivity and diversity—which worked well in the Western market—did not have the same impact in China. There is much less ethnic diversity in China than there is in the U.S. and lighter skin complexion is the beauty standard. The main niche of the Fenty Beauty brand was completely ineffective in Chinese culture.
Fenty Beauty’s second main marketing strategy is its cruelty-free label, but in order to enter the market in China its products would have to undergo animal testing. Further, Ruonan Zheng’s article for Jing Daily says that Chinese consumers are “concerned more about whether cosmetics are natural, green, or organic due to the rising of environmental pollution issues, such as the haze.”
This brings a few important questions into play. International market communication involves the understanding of cultural, social, and economic factors of new markets to ensure successful marketing strategies. But should brands enter markets where their entire foundational business aspects are not marketable? Or should a brand completely switch up marketing tactics in a new market? When is the risk too great to enter an international market?
These questions certainly will be answered differently across business sectors and other influencing factors, such as the severity of cultural misalignments between the brand and the consumer.