The Accessible, Uncomplicated Cosmetic Brand that Draws Customers from Screen to Store
Roses are red; cherries, too…
A growth strategy example: Black Cherry products from the makers of Glossier You!
In time for Valentine’s Day, Glossier has introduced a new limited edition product line: Black Cherry. Today, we’ll discuss the Black Cherry product line as a growth strategy example, explaining how Glossier leverages marketing techniques like retailtainment and exclusivity in order to grow its brand. Glossier may have begun online-only, but the Black Cherry launch exemplifies the way in which Glossier has been able to grow into an omnichannel brand.
Glossier is a cosmetics brand known for its subtle, natural-looking makeup and its digital marketing. Glossier actually began as an online-only brand, selling at Glossier.com. The beauty brand built on the success of the popular beauty blog Into The Gloss, which had previously been a cosmetics review blog not affiliated with a particular set of products. It might be no surprise then that Glossier’s digital marketing has been a great key to its success: in an article on Medium, Ronn Torossian, a PR professional, identifies content marketing, user-generated content, influencer collaborations, and engagement through comments and communities as the keys to Glossier’s digital-first growth strategy.
Growth Strategy Example:
Glossier Goes Retail with a Curated Customer Experience
However, in 2016, Glossier opened its first retail location, which at the time Harper’s Bazaar described as “what an Instagram account looks like when it’s brought to life.” As a Glossier shopper myself, I can confirm that this is the case. Everything at Glossier is pale pink (millennial pink?), from the lipstick tubes to the jumpsuits worn by the helpful people (mostly women) employed by Glossier to recommend and sell makeup.
I am, as I write, wearing a shade of cream blush introduced to me by one of these friendly people in jumpsuits: it looked too purple to me on the shelf, but she thought it would match my skin tone, and because I was in store, where you can try the makeup, I saw that she was correct. (Full disclosure: except for my sunscreen, everything on my face in the daytime is Glossier.) The atmosphere is pleasing, and in return for having to wait in line outside, shoppers have the benefit of being only a little crowded once they’re in the store. Understanding the general atmosphere of Glossier’s retail locations is key to this growth strategy example: the unique customer experience at Glossier has driven its transition to an omnichannel brand.
Nine years later, Glossier has locations in 12 cities, and is also available at Sephora. Clearly, the transition to retail has been a success. As Brin Snelling writes for Forbes,
“The [Glossier] store experience creates loyal customers, which is vital in this economy… These physical locations are more than transactional touchpoints; they’re marketing channels known to acquire high-value customers at arguably lower acquisition costs than some online methods.”
In short, Glossier has been able to use retail to connect with customers just as its digital marketing involves customer engagement. But how? Today’s growth strategy example, Glossier’s Black Cherry product line, shows how glossier is able to synergize in-person and digital experiences to boost sales and grow its brand.
Growth Strategy Example:
The Insta Introduction of Black Cherry
New Year’s Day, 2025, Glossier announced the Black Cherry product line on Instagram. The line includes four products, all, of course, in Black Cherry. There is a Black Cherry Balm Dotcom (Glossier’s sheer lip balm, which usually only has a hint of color), a Black Cherry lip line, a Black Cherry No. 1 Pencil (eyeliner), and a Black Cherry Cloud Paint (Cloud Paint is the aforementioned cream blush — I wear it in “Wisp”). One wonders if a red eyeliner might give the impression of an eye infection, but Glossier fans on reddit seem enthusiastic about the Black Cherry merch drop, and the comments on Glossier’s original Instagram post were effusive. So far, so good for this growth strategy example.
Even better: what began as an online product rollout quickly materialized (literally). This is an omnichannel growth strategy example. About two weeks after announcing the Black Cherry product line, Glossier announced (again on its Instagram page) that one of its travelling attractions, Balm DotWorld, was “getting a Black Cherry makeover” and appearing at the Mall of America. Balm DotWorld is a retailtainment experience (see my recent coverage of retailtainment in the outdoors category). According to Trendhunter.com,
“Visitors to the Balm DotWorld Mobile Truck can bring their own Glossier balm or purchase one on-site. The highlight of this experience is the customization station, where customers can select from an array of charms to personalize their Balm Dotcom.”
The charms actually go on the lip balm tubes themselves, ready to be posted on Instagram. The use of limited edition promotional materials in person ties in well to online engagement insofar as it prompts consumers to post photos of their possessions.
According to the Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, visitors at the Black Cherry Balm DotWorld truck at the Mall of America were indeed able to:
“shop the new limited-edition products, customize a tube of its cult classic lip balm, Balm Dotcom, with free charms—including a new black cherry charm—snap photos with playful props and backdrops inspired by the brand’s signature aesthetic, and grab free samples.”
Furthermore, on the Mall of America Facebook post about the Balm DotWorld popup, you can see that Glossier was offering free cans of Pepsi Wild Cherry. While it is not clear if Glossier was collaborating with Pepsi, it is notable that Pepsi is also launching a new cherry-themed product in early 2025, Wild Cherry and Cream, after Coke discontinued its Cherry Vanilla flavor in 2024. The launch of these two cherry products at a similar time seems synergistic, especially given the fact that Glossier was distributing Pepsi at its Balm DotWorld popup.
This all shows how the online hype is very able to translate into in-person engagement, especially by offering customers unique experiences that align with Glossier’s online image. Online reports show the effectiveness of this growth strategy example. While I could not find official information on the attendance of the Balm DotWorld popup at Mall of America, one reddit user cheerfully reported waiting in line for two and a half hours, encouraging others to “bring snacks and water if you’re planning to go.” Given that wait time, it seems safe to say that the Balm DotWorld popup was able to draw customers from screen to store. The location also seems well chosen: Mall of America is a popular tourist destination with entertainment offerings of its own. Customers who were previously unaware of Glossier would at least have seen that some people are willing to wait in line two and a half hours for Glossier freebies — a powerful endorsement of the brand in and of itself.
By leveraging techniques like offering freebies and investing in retailtainment, Glossier is able to grow its brand. The Black Cherry line is an excellent growth strategy example for Glossier because it shows how Glossier is able to use omnichannel marketing, customer loyalty, and a very strong brand image to drive massive customer engagement.
Want to see more growth strategy examples, as well as brand strategy templates, new product examples, market positioning strategies, customer segmentation examples, and more? Check out the Insight to Action resources page. Our newsletter, furthermore, offers regular updates on all things market strategy. Insight to Action can help you to create a growth strategy plan just as right for your business as omnichannel retailtainment is for Glossier.
