Launching in 2017 with forty shades of foundation, and today fifty shades, Rihanna understood the struggle of not feeling included within the industry. She has also managed to ensure her consistency within Savage X Fenty and Fenty Skin, in order to align with her message of appealing to everyone, which the majority of retailers struggle with. This is why so many people worldwide can resonate with her genuine approach to beauty, which empowers consumers as they feel self-assured - they do not have to fit into the beauty standard.
This is why so many people worldwide can resonate with her genuine approach to beauty, which empowers consumers as they feel self-assured - they do not have to fit into the beauty standard
Rihanna proclaims that her brand "[does] not believe in division" and "[does] not believe in excluding anyone", so it is clear that she is the driver for the brand's authenticity and innovation, for all genders and all ethnicities. To validate these principles, Fenty Beauty's marketing techniques proved Rhianna's ambition to ensure inclusivity, elevating the brand to get everyone talking. It was launched in seventeen countries on the same day in the same hour, meaning precision was crucial to distribute content around the world, disregarding time zones. The advertisement showcasing women of all skin tones, cultures and ethnicities authenticated Rihanna's mission to inspire everyone, especially those like herself who have traditionally hard-to-match skin tones, making it universal. The consumer and industry reaction to the brand launch was astounding. With people posting selfies with products, doing reviews and sharing with friends, it crashed the website and according to Fenty, "surpassed all of [their] expectations".
"The Fenty Effect" is a term coined inviting and urging other beauty brands to do better and challenge the existing conditions of women's accessibility and to feel beautiful in their own skin. A phenomenon of their marketing is that the adjective 'inclusive' was never used in their marketing strategies, as the approach was to 'show and not tell'. It allows the press and audiences to define the brand themselves and generate a conversation that is meaningful and emotional to them personally.
It is not just social media that build up their community, but they expand their networking by allowing fans to be part of their upcoming campaigns. The "Fenty Face Contest" grants beauty users the to show their admiration for the brand on TikTok and post a video of them showing off "your beautiful energy". It is yet another way Rihanna has carved her brand into the beauty world and reiterated that "make-up is there for you to play with and have fun with".
There is no room in the industry to be excluding anyone
There is no room in the industry to be excluding anyone. Fenty has shaped the sphere of including everyone and unsurprisingly other companies followed shortly after. By highlighting the importance of being seen and being able to identify with other women, it has created a growing community that upholds the brand.
