More than skin deep – building a meaningful beauty brand

The aim of any (and every) brand is to be distinctive; easily recognisable by your audience. This is easy to do if you’re a Revlon, Loreal or Maybelline. Less so if you’re a brand breaking into the UK or a new name on the market. In addition to distinctiveness, having a brand with attributes that resonate with your target audience is vital. They want to identify with your brand, feel close to it.

In the health and beauty sector connecting with customers is even more important because of the value you’re offering them; what they’re aspiring to in terms of ageless beauty, glowing skin, improved well-being, for example (which is, in effect, your brand promise).

Building your brand and hitting each of these items isn’t easy. Especially when you’re not just focused on this activity. You have sales, product development, operations, strategy to work on as well.

In practicality, how does your distinctive brand help with sales?

Brand Britain – an example

Here’s how: Imagine Britain as a brand. The Union Jack, Mind the Gap, Monty Python, The Beatles, Marmite, Crown Jewels are all quintessentially British, icons that give you a sense of Brand Britain.

We read a fascinating report on this very subject – put together by Ipsos (a market research company), Jones Knowles Ritchie (a global branding business) and The British Chambers of Commerce. The report titled Be Distinctive Britain used legacy data and new information from a sample of 3,000 members of the British public and 1,100 business leaders to deep dive into Britain as a brand and the importance of having a distinct, differentiated brand.

Brand in context

Looking at Brand Britain’s personality profile, the report pulls out traditional, enduring and witty as the three common traits. Or, as the report better articulates, Brand Britain is “Traditional with a twist”. When respondents in the research were asked to rank the Britishness of brands, unsurprisingly names like Yorkshire Tea, British Airways and Greggs were top of the list. Unsurprising because if you think how customers perceive those brands, they do fall within the realm of ‘traditional with a twist’.

So – it makes sense that successful brands in Britain share these three attributes, as well as having many more. For a beauty brand, for example, this theme could talk to its heritage (having a strong origin story like Thalgo Marine) or the fact that it uses traditional herbs and botanicals in its formulation with a hint of innovation that adds the so-called twist (such as US-based brand Farmacy Beauty).

Interestingly, respondents also rated non-British brands according to their Britishness, such as Heinz Baked Beans, Red Bull, Shell, Mastercard, etc. And how did they fare? Pretty well – especially Heinz. The reason? Even though they aren’t originally British, these brands have made their way into our culture, and everyday lives. Looking at Heinz specifically, having a British icon (Ed Sheeran) has their brand ambassador certainly helps!

Believing in the brand

But how does this help other brands? How does this help brands looking to expand their footprint into the UK? Does it mean they shouldn’t waste their time? Of course not. The example of Heinz proves that.

If you consider that, according to the report, only 35% of respondents said they deliberately try to buy British brands; 43% said it didn’t matter to them.

What does matter, is brand perception.

According to HubSpot, brand perception is “the sum of a consumer’s feelings, experiences, and thoughts about a product or service. It’s what people believe a brand represents, rather than what a brand says it represents.”

Beauty products, for example, are often aspirational and about self-care and personal identity. And purchases can be driven by emotions. So, how do you encourage that emotional connection with your customers?

Making your brand resonate with your audience is therefore not just about the product you sell – as good as it may be. It’s how your customers view your brand. This isn’t anything groundbreaking, but it does set the scene for interesting discussions.

Especially when you consider that this perception applies to all areas of your brand – from what you represent and think is important (your values, ethos, commitment to sustainability, etc) to how you engage with your customers, how you sell your products and how you manage the sales journey or customer experience. This doesn’t matter if you’re a UK brand looking to expand or a global brand breaking into the UK market, the same logic applies.

From aspiration to experience – delivering on your brand promise

Of course, as fulfilment specialists we believe fulfilment forms a crucial part of how customers see your brand.

In the beauty sector, you’re selling more than just products; you’re selling that feeling, that aspiration. Customers invest in your brand expecting transformation, well-being, or confidence. But how do you deliver on that promise after the purchase?

Every touchpoint post-sale, from order confirmation to the unboxing and potential returns, contributes significantly to whether that initial brand attraction converts into lasting trust and loyalty. Think of the excitement of a new beauty purchase – that anticipation shouldn’t be met with delivery delays or damaged goods. That seamless experience, from click to unbox, is a critical extension of your brand’s identity and its commitment to the customer.

This is exactly why strategic fulfilment is a key part of your branding strategy. It’s the silent ambassador of your brand values, ensuring that the final stage of the customer journey is as flawless and inspiring as the product itself. For beauty brands navigating the UK market, partnering with a fulfilment expert means securing not just efficient delivery, but a consistently positive customer experience that builds trust, reinforces loyalty, and truly elevates your brand.

Download the report here: Be Distinctive Britain

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