Sephora and TikTok have teamed up to launch a new program aimed at helping beauty brands grow on the social media platform. The Sephora x TikTok Incubator Program will connect TikTok creators to brands from Sephora’s Accelerate program, offering resources and mentorship to new and emerging brands.
The program will feature 12 brands and will provide opportunities to learn social content strategies. The initiative will be led by Topicals, Eadem and Hyper Skin, three brands from Sephora’s 2021 accelerator cohort.
Program Aims to Promote Diversity in Beauty Brands
Marketing agency Digitas will also be working with Sephora and TikTok to create campaigns that promote diversity within the beauty industry. The beauty retailer stated that understanding and leveraging creator-led social media is critical for beauty brands’ success.
“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,” Brent Mitchell, Sephora’s vice president of marketing, social and influencer, said in the announcement.
Popular Creators Will Offer Insights
Brands participating in the partnership will have an opportunity to hear from popular creators like Amy Chang, Rocio Lopez-Jimenez and Nyma Tang. They’re part of #BeautyTok, a part of the social platform where positivity and empowerment are celebrated, according to TikTok.
“The future of brand storytelling lies in the hands of multicultural creators, and by championing diverse creators, brands can unlock their full potential on TikTok,” said Soniya Monga, head of U.S. agency partnerships for TikTok.
TikTok Continues to Grow Despite Scrutiny
TikTok, which has over 1 billion monthly active users, says authenticity and self-expression are shaping the future of beauty culture. However, the platform has been under scrutiny due to security and political concerns, with many local, state and national governments moving to ban TikTok.
Sephora has been focused on expanding its assortment with up-and-coming brands built by a diverse group of people. The retailer also seeks to become a wholesale partner for many DTC brands and is often a first-time or exclusive retail partner for brands. Sephora offers thousands of products from over 360 brands in stores, online and through its app.
Sephora Continues Expansion Efforts
Ahead of the recent holiday season, Sephora introduced a $49 annual same-day delivery subscription offer. The company also expanded its shop-in-shop deal with Kohl’s to include all of the department store’s locations, with a goal of growing the store-in-store footprint to 850 locations this year. Globally, Sephora has over 2,700 stores. Kohl’s in August said the partnership may drive $2 billion in annual sales by 2025.
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