Sephora x TikTok Incubator Program to bolster beauty brands’ content creation

14 Mar 2023 --- Sephora, TikTok and Digitas have partnered to facilitate “founder-led” beauty brands to gain expertise in producing and developing creator content. The partnership aims to educate brands on the importance of a DEI-first approach (diversity, equity and inclusion) to creator partnerships. 

The Sephora x TikTok Incubator Program will connect TikTok creators with beauty brands from the company’s Accelerate program to develop social content strategies. “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,” says Soniya Monga, head of US Agency Partnerships, TikTok. 

Brand affiliates will benefit from a series of training modules and will hear from #beautytok creators such as Amy Chang, Rocio Lopez-Jimenez and Nyma Tang. 

Connecting with creator talent
Topicals, Eadem and Hyper Skin from the 2021 Sephora Accelerate cohort will participate in this launch, with three more groups to follow. A total of 12 brands will be granted the opportunity to create partnerships with up-and-coming creator talent on TikTok, which has more than one billion monthly active users.

“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,” says Brent Mitchell, VP of marketing, social and influencer at Sephora.The brand representatives will receive training from #beautytok creators.  

The program aims to build a framework that celebrates diversity where brands can accelerate their growth on TikTok through inclusive storytelling.”

Brand launch opportunities
Sephora Accelerate features a 360-degree, six-month curriculum with mentorship, merchandising support, grants and investor connections to all participants, with the opportunity to launch at Sephora North America.

Meanwhile, Sephora’s revenue was up 22% in the first half of 2022, with profit from recurring operations up 181%. The company enjoyed strong sales performance and saw its in-store activity rebound. The momentum was robust in North America, France and the Middle East.”

According to recent studies, consumers continue to be influenced by content creators on social media. “TikTok made me buy it” is a common phrase online, which has also made its way to beauty brand marketing in brick-and-mortar stores. 

TikTok-commissioned research shows that the platform drives positive returns on ad spend.

Edited by Inga de Jong