E.l.f Beauty acquired Hailey Bieber’s skincare brand, Rhode, for $1 billion.
Considering it was only founded three years ago, a rise so quickly drew eyes worldwide. Many entrepreneurs may be wondering: how did she do it? How did Rhode grow into a billion-dollar brand in such a short amount of time?
Sure, her existing celebrity status and social media presence played a factor in its growth. However, there were other ways that Hailey Bieber grew the Rhode brand into the power player it is today. This article will explore marketing strategies utilized to build the Rhode brand that other entrepreneurs can emulate.
1. The Power Of Personal Brand
Hailey Bieber didn’t just tap into her existing social media following and leave it there. She became the face of Rhode. She shares her own personal Rhode beauty routines on social media, such as how she gets her famous “glazed donut” skin. By integrating herself into the Rhode brand and sharing relatable, relevant, and practical advice, she elevated beyond celebrity status to become a highly trusted figure.
2. Rhode Is A Minimalist Product Line
It may surprise many that this billion-dollar brand was built from a product line of 10 core products. With a smaller product line, they could continuously refine and innovate the products based on real-time consumer feedback. Rhode’s marketing was focused on hero products, such as the viral Peptide Glazing Fluid. By focusing on quality over quantity, the brand could go deep into marketing and storytelling for each product.
3. Rhode Has Innovative Products
It’s no secret that innovative and creative products can lead to increased attention for a brand, and in many cases, virality. In 2024, Rhode launched the lip phone case, a branded case with a pocket to house a Rhode lip gloss. This turned into a beauty world icon, leading to poorer quality knock-offs by competitors.
The case blended a minimalistic design with practicality. All of its Gen Z consumers have a smartphone. Why not integrate the brand and products into their everyday lives, yet make it aesthetic, so they would want to share it on social media proudly?
4. Rhode Is A Potent Combo Of Gen Z And Social Media
Gen Z and social media can be an incredibly potent mix when used in the right way for marketing. Rhodes strategically used TikTok and Instagram to build a loyal and engaged following of its target market, Gen Z. They utilize short-form video formats, influencer marketing, viral trends, educational content around skincare routines and how to use its products, and aesthetic lifestyle-based content.
5. Rhode Built A Loyal Community
Rhode doesn’t just promote its products on social media. It built an engaged community of fans by interacting with them on social media. It showed fans that conversations and feedback lead to results, such as developing new products (like the viral lip phone case).
6. User-Generated Content
User-generated content also plays a significant role in Rhode’s marketing strategy. The brand asks fans to post their skincare routines, “glazed skin” selfies, and product reviews on social media, which Rhode then shares on its channels. Sharing relatable and authentic fan content helps to build an engaged community and grows trust in the brand.
7. Creative Brand Collaborations
Finally, strategic partnerships can help two brands tap into each other’s communities to grow brand awareness, followers, and revenue. To do this, Rhode collaborated with Krispy Kreme to create a new, limited-edition Peptide Lip Treatment product inspired by Krispy Kreme’s Strawberry Glazed Donut.
Hailey Bieber’s Rhode uses a powerful mix of strategies to market the brand, creating one of the most significant success stories in the skincare and beauty industry. From tapping into TikTok, UGC, brand collaborations, or focusing on just a select few products at a time, entrepreneurs from any industry can take these strategies and apply them to their own businesses.