Cosmetics Advertising Trends in 2013

 

The top 5 beauty advertisers. Source: AdRadar

When it comes to Cosmetics industry advertising trends, one thing is certain—they’re likely to buck the trends seen in other industries.

Case in point: While many other market segments experienced a decline in print magazine ad buys in the first quarter of 2013, print ad spending within the Women’s Fashion and Beauty segments actually increased.

During this period, not only did Toiletries/Cosmetics brands increase their total number of ad pages, but nearly 349 brands that didn’t advertise in January-April 2012 placed ads, according to data gathered by marketing and advertising intelligence providers AdRadar.

Pulling back the curtain and taking a closer look at AdRadar’s data reveals additional insights into how the Cosmetics industry has approached advertising so far in 2013.

For example, the boost in print magazine ad pages was likely related to specific campaigns developed by large cosmetics and skin care companies—L’Oreal Group’s L’Oreal Paris and Maybelline brands. L’Oreal Paris, the most active cosmetics advertiser, increased its print advertising by the largest margin among cosmetics brands.

Print Advertising Trends

L’Oreal's increased support for specific brands, such as L’Oreal Paris Advanced Haircare and L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Collection, is likely responsible for much of the company’s overall increase in advertising—and this focus mirrors the spending seen within the larger Fashion and Beauty market.

The number of beauty ad pages in the top consumer publications. Source: AdRadar

During the first quarter of the year, Skin Care segment advertisers purchased the highest number of ad pages, followed by Hair Care, Fragrance, and Oral Hygiene.

And among all segments of cosmetic advertisers, Allure magazine was the top spot for advertising, with Elle and People following closely behind. InStyle and Cosmopolitan rounded out the top five publications.

Proctor and Gamble’s Pantene Pro-V was the most active advertiser, placing ads among 36 titles, with 14% of its ads being placed in Vanity Fair.

Online Trends

Cosmetics brands rely heavily on magazine advertising, but many are embracing the world of online advertising as well—in fact, between January and April of 2013, more than 400 Toiletries/Cosmetics brands opted to advertise online.

And once again, L’Oreal led the pack in terms of spending, with L’Oreal Paris becoming the top active online advertiser.

But brands that ran smaller print campaigns—like Estee Lauder and Revlon—were also among the top online advertisers.

Only time will tell if the upward trend in both magazine ads and online ads will continue for Cosmetics brands, but for now women’s fashion and beauty titles are benefitting in a period when magazine advertising is in transition.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jackson Richards is the chief analyst at AdRadar.