Maybelline LLC, often known as Maybelline New York, is a cosmetics company established in the United States that is a subsidiary of the French cosmetics conglomerate Loreal. Maybelline has been in business for over a century, with roots dating back to 1912. The line includes eye, face, and lip cosmetics, as well as accessories such as eye brushes, makeup tools, and removers.

The SWOT analysis of Maybelline will be discussed in this case study. You can also check our other blogs to know more about other company’s SWOT Analysis of Maybelline, marketing strategy, marketing mix, etc.

Let’s get started by learning a little more about the company.

About Maybelline

Maybelline New York is popularly known as the number one cosmetic brand in the world, and it is available in over 125+ countries they were well known for the combination of technologically advanced formulation as per trend expertise. Their Mission is to offer cosmetics products of innovation, accessibility, and less effort. Their vision is to become the number-one brand in the cosmetic industry across the globe. Maybelline LLC is owned by Lanaya Sociétéwhich was founded in 1915 by Scott Byers. It is an American cosmetic brand that is being sold worldwide and it is being owned by Loreal.

Current News About The Brand

• JULY 2023 – Maybelline has launched its own “AI-powered Beauty App” on Microsoft Teams. It will soon be available globally.
• MAY 2023 –  Suhana Khan (daughter of Shahrukh Khan), Ananya Birla (singer), and PV Sindhu (Indian Badminton Player) are the new ambassadors of Maybelline India.
• FEBRUARY 2023 – Maybelline launches a campaign called “Through their Eyes” in collaboration with Reachout (Mental Health Service) to shed light on discrimination against female gamers.

• OCTOBER 2022 – Maybelline releases a new Lipstick Range “Super Stay Vinyl Ink”.

DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIES

1. DIGITAL AVATAR – Maybelline is slowly dipping its hands into Metaverse with the launch of its First Digital Avatar “May”.  The feature of the avatar is in relation to the launch of the New Mascara namely “FALSIES SURREAL EXTENSION MASCARA”. DIGITAL AVATAR MAY – PROMOTING MAYBELLINE’S FALSIES SURREAL MASCARA  (from a news article)

2. CGI TECHNOLOGY – Maybelline drove the internet crazy with their new campaign. They commemorated the release of #SKYMASCARA by incorporating massive mascara applicators using CGI. They made buses and trains attached with huge eyelashes run through the wand. 

3. SHORT-FORM VIDEOS -In order to promote the new Vinyl Lipstick Range, Maybelline worked with influencers with audiences/followers ranging from small to large. These collaborations were done in accordance with the current trends of the digital world, such as short form videos (Tiktoks, Instagram reels, YT shorts). The influencers were made to demonstrate the unique application process, lipstick formula and its proclaimed 16 hours longevity. The hashtag used for this campaign was #SuperStay.

Buyer Persona

SWOT Analysis of Maybelline

Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). The SWOT analysis is a method for evaluating a company’s competitive situation and developing strategic plans. Internal and external factors, as well as existing and prospective prospects, are all included in a SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis of Maybelline is summarised in the bullets mentioned below:

1. Strengths of Maybelline

The term Strength defines what are the bounty resources the company possesses, the benchmarking performance of the firm, and the talented Employee skills. The Main competitive advantage the company possesses is its existence since 1915, and the right capture of market and target audience.

• Well-Known Target Audience: They know in precise who they target what the demand exists in the market and what is expected to fulfill the demand so they can formulate strategies to cater to the market demand and achieve their objectives.
• Research & Development: Through their parent L’Oreal company -Maybelline has a strong research and development department and resource capital. Research and Development forecast the future market demand, changes in the market, and customer expectations.
• Social Media: Though Maybelline was established in 1915, it stepped into social media in 2006, which shows that they were aware of future developments and conducted various campaigns through YouTube.
• Variety of Products: Maybelline produces different versions of products for each country based on the characteristics and requirements of the consumers. They have studied the market well and enjoy strong brand loyalty.
• Product category: Maybelline has various sets of products and customers enjoy a variety of choices from its product categories. The Lipstick product category has 4 sets and 28 color codes, and the consumer can choose their favorite shade which suits better with their outfits better.
• Innovation in Product Display: Most customers purchase products based on purchase impulse and it is important to the company to look upon the shop show. Thus Maybelline focuses more on Instore Ingenuity. 
• Product Quality: Each Maybelline product is checked for quality and consistency to maintain its topmost quality benchmark standards.
• Celebrity Endorsements:  Maybelline focused on choosing the right people to showcase their brand to the target audience by selecting the prettiest faces in the Cine Industry. 
• Availability: Maybelline Products are available in over 130+ countries and their brand is well-recognized by people and it has a good reputation. 
• Affiliated with Loreal: Maybelline had affiliated themselves with the L’oreal company which was the top player in the cosmetics industry. This association created huge repetition and trust among the consumers.

2. Weakness of Maybelline

The term Weakness states what areas the company lacks in and where their performances aren’t up to the mark. Even though the Brand is too popular the industry has high competition thus it has a low market share.

• Poor Website maintenance: In the E-commerce booming era the website of Maybelline looks pretty old-fashioned and it is difficult to navigate buttons and to display images.
• Chemical Presence: During the laboratory testing Maybelline had claimed that its products have a variety of chemicals in them.
• Poor Product Differentiation: Lakme has multiple choices for a single product category but the consumers aren’t given product differentiation between one among others thus it leaves them frustrated. 
• Limited Product Category: Maybelline has stopped itself with cosmetic products alone. They could have expanded their product lines to bath and shower-based products which could have generated more revenue than their competitors.
• People who have sensitive skin can get allergic infections due to the use of cosmetic products.

3. Opportunities of Maybelline

The term Opportunities states what are the available ways that the firm can utilize and convert them into strengths.

• Change in buying Behavior: People across the globe don’t feel shy or awkward about wearing makeup in public and they are open to the trends in such usage. Women are highly literate and they are aware of the trends which is the biggest advantage to the cosmetic industry.
• The Gap in the Market: Companies should fill the gap in the market that cosmetic products are meant for only Females. They can change the trend because Cosmetic products are wanted by the people and they aren’t gender-biased nowadays.  
• Some Niche players have identified this gap and filled this and they have been successful in it and they generate crores as turnover.
• Momentum can be gathered by the company by promoting products by endorsing Famous Male Personalities, and Cine Industry Actors to showcase their products.  

4. Threats of Maybelline

Threats are known as uncertain factors that could severely affect the organization. The firm must be well prepared to face the threats and turn them into opportunities. 

• Economic Crisis: Whenever there occurs an economic crisis or pandemic situation the number of people involved in cosmetic products becomes too low and most of them don’t even look into it at  such times 
• Negative Publicity: It is showcased that most cosmetic companies show false advertising such as improvement in skin tone. A wide range of people say that these cosmetic products are against culture, cause ill effects on health and skin, and they aren’t natural.
• Substitutes: Buyers are given a variety of choices to make before purchase decisions. A few companies offer product differentiation and benefits while the rest don’t. Thus these firms possess a competitive advantage.   
• Legal factors: Companies highly face legal issues such as false-claiming products, and poor quality products, and the court may levy high fine amounts on the company if proven. It may force companies to follow zero-chemical cosmetics and may ban chemical usage in cosmetics. 

Thus, these are some listicles on the SWOT Analysis of Maybelline in great detail.

Top 5 Competitors of the Brand

• LAKME: Lakme is a renowned brand and is well-known by people. It is known for its variety of products ranging from skincare such as sunscreens and serums to beauty products like lipsticks and foundation.
• WET & WILD: Wet & Wild is an American Brand. It is known for providing pocket-friendly products with impeccable quality. They are known for the eye-shadow palettes that provide a wide range of colors at affordable rates.
• SUGAR COSMETICS: It is an Indian Brand. It is known for its beauty products that provide various shade ranges suitable for medium to dark Indian skin tones.
• COLORBAR: Colorbar is a three-generation Indian family business. It is known for its PETA-certified, vegan, and Sulphate-free makeup products.
• THE BODY SHOP: The Body Shop is a British-owned company. It is also known for its vegan skincare and makeup range. The Lip Stains are one of the most loved products.

Failed Campaign or Backlash From Viewers

In April 2023, Maybelline experienced major backlash from a group of people. The issue was caused due to Dylan Mulvaney, a trans Tiktok Star becoming a partner of the Maybelline brand.

The partnership with the transgender influencer caused many people to be furious which led to a huge backlash towards Maybelline. Fans took to twitter to express their anger by using the hashtag “Boycott Maybelline”. 

Despite this outrage, Maybelline did not revoke the partnership with Dylan. The brand let the matters cool down. Then, they took to their social media account and posted a series of pictures telling people to “ Spread Love, not Hate”. They explained that they would not tolerate any hatred towards their beauty creators and advocated love and positivity. 

The brand’s response created a range of happiness and satisfaction from a variety of people. People expressed their admiration for the brand for protecting their creators and providing a safe space to embrace themselves.

Traditional Campaigns

WIN LIP KIT THROUGH A RANDOM CONTEST (Image taken from Twitter)

July 2023 – Maybelline took to Twitter on 18th July 2023 to celebrate National Lipstick Day. They announced a questionnaire where people had to play a quiz and register their emails in order to win a lip kit.   

Suggest 1 or 2 Campaigns

MAYBELLINE X RAILWAY LOCALS

Partner with the Railways to set up booths at various local stations on different days. Hire a well-known celebrity makeup artist to provide makeovers to people traveling. Introduce a new line of makeup and provide a unique QR code to people posting their pictures with a certain hashtag.

Conclusion

Here comes the end of the blog on SWOT Analysis of Maybelline and we can conclude that Maybelline is one of the top cosmetic companies. The corporation had a revenue of 26 billion euros and is expected to increase at a rate of 4.7 percent each year. The company distributes its items at retail stores and shopping malls all around the world. They sell on their website as well and have partnerships with major online merchants. SWOT analysis of Maybelline will help to view the firm on either the best or the worst side.

This allows the company to look into where they perform well and where they lack it. Thus, Maybelline should look ahead to change the weakness to strengths and turn opportunities into benefits which is highly critical in the highly volatile market. Thus this analysis will provide a framework for the company to formulate strategies and develop future insights.

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