Asos & Superdrug Prioritise Inclusive Beauty

Gender-fluidity is continuing to shape product development and marketing messages within the beauty industry. British retailers Superdrug and Asos are currently championing this movement with an inclusive pop-up shop and YouTube content that reflects modern consumer outlooks on gender identity and authenticity.
- Beauty Without Bias: Following the success of its LGBTQ+ targeted campaign Beauty Without Bias, Superdrug has opened a colour cosmetics pop-up in London dedicated to inclusivity, which runs until September 10.
It collaborated with advocates and beauty bloggers who embody the ethos that make-up is for everyone, such as British trans-activist Charlie Craggs. Each influencer selected 10 products from Superdrug’s exclusive collections – spotlighting the diversity that already exists within its offering.
The launch capitalises on the rise of the genderless beauty category – 27% of British men would buy cosmetics if they were branded as gender neutral (Future Thinking, 2018). It also demonstrates Superdrug’s ability to tap into rapidly developing trends. In Spring 2018, it opened a vegan pop-up due to rising demand for clean beauty products.
- Next-Gen Empowerment: Since rebranding its beauty division as Face + Body, Asos has continued to empower young millennials and Gen Zers. Its latest venture is a YouTube series dedicated to these fans.
The pilot episode sees the Face + Body Insiders (a group of influencers) explore notions of gender identity by confronting their insecurities head-on. This journey of self-expression was led by British drag queen Dinah Luxe.
The message of self-love is incredibly important for connecting with young consumers. About 67% of Gen Zers claim that being true to your own values and beliefs is what ultimately makes a person cool (Irregular Labs, 2018).
For deeper insights into teen values, see Next-Gen Beauty Marketing, Teen Beauty 2018 and 10 Youth Trends to Watch. See also Empowering Beauty, The Male Beauty Moment and Gender-Fluid Generation: Beauty Attitudes.