Latest / The Marketing Funnel Podcast with Fexingo: Awareness, Interest, Decision, and Action Stages / How Fenty Beauty Built a Funnel on Inclusivity
Transcript
- Lucas: So, Luna, I was thinking about the most successful product launches of the last decade, and one that keeps coming up in marketing circles is Fenty Beauty. Not just because of the numbers, though those are impressive, but because of how the brand built its entire funnel on a single, powerful idea: inclusivity. Luna: And that idea wasn't just a tagline. It was baked into the product itself, right? I mean, forty shades of foundation at launch, back in 2017, was unheard of. Lucas: Exactly. The industry average at the time was somewhere around fifteen to twenty shades, and most of those leaned light. Fenty came in with forty, spanning the spectrum from very fair to deep, and that instantly set the stage for a funnel that was about feeling seen, not just looking good. Luna: And it wasn't just the product. The way they announced it, with Rihanna front and center, and a diverse cast of models, that was a statement. It told people, 'This brand gets me,' before they even tried the product. Lucas: Right. And that's the awareness stage done perfectly. They didn't just spend a fortune on ads. They created a cultural moment. The #FentyBeauty hashtag exploded, and the launch was covered by every major beauty publication and then some. It was a masterclass in earned media. Luna: I remember seeing the first reviews on YouTube. People were filming themselves trying the foundation for the first time, and the reactions were genuine. You could see the relief and joy on their faces when they found their exact match. That's powerful content. Lucas: And that's the interest stage. Fenty didn't just rely on celebrities. They sent products to a wide range of influencers and beauty vloggers, from massive names to micro-influencers with smaller but highly engaged audiences. This created a wave of authentic reviews and tutorials that built trust. Luna: So the awareness is the spark, and interest is the fuel. But what about the decision stage? How did they convert all that interest into actual purchases? Lucas: Well, they made it easy. The products launched online on their own site and at Sephora, both in stores and online. So you could either buy right away or, if you were like me and you need to swatch before you commit, you could go into a store and try it. That omnichannel approach is key. Luna: And they made sure the in-store experience matched the online hype. Sephora had dedicated Fenty sections, and the staff were trained to match a wide range of skin tones. That's not always a given in beauty retail. Lucas: Exactly. And the action stage, the actual purchase, was just the beginning. Because the real magic of Fenty's funnel is what happens after. You get the product, you love it, and you start posting your 'Fenty Face' on social media. That user-generated content feeds right back into the awareness stage for the next person. Luna: It's a self-perpetuating loop. The community becomes the marketing. And that's something a lot of brands try to copy but rarely pull off authentically. Lucas: Yeah, and the numbers back it up. Fenty Beauty did a hundred million dollars in its first forty days. That's not a typo. A hundred million. And it was the top-selling foundation in many markets for years after. It forced competitors to expand their shade ranges, which is a whole other ripple effect. Luna: It's interesting you mention competitors. I read that MAC and Estée Lauder had to drastically expand their shade ranges in response. So Fenty didn't just build a successful funnel for itself, it changed the entire industry's standards. Lucas: That's the kind of impact that goes beyond any single campaign. And it's a reminder that the best funnels are built on a genuine understanding of the customer's needs. Fenty didn't just market inclusivity, they actually delivered it through the product itself. Luna: So, for a brand listening to this, what's the lesson? Is it just 'be inclusive' and hope for the best? Lucas: No, it's deeper than that. It's about finding a gap in the market and filling it with something that's not just a product, but a statement. And then making sure every stage of your funnel, from the ads you run to the people you feature to the stores you partner with, is consistent with that statement. Luna: Consistency. That's the word. Fenty didn't just launch with a diverse campaign and then go back to business as usual. They've kept inclusivity at the core, even as they've expanded into other products like lipsticks and highlighters. Lucas: And that's why the brand still resonates today. In 2026, Fenty Beauty is still a major player, not just a flash in the pan. They've proven that a values-driven funnel can be sustainable and profitable. Luna: Before we wrap up, I want to touch on something that I think is relevant here. We talk about Fenty's funnel being authentic, and that's a big part of why it works. And in a way, that's what we try to do with this podcast. We focus on real conversations about marketing, without the noise of ads. Lucas: Absolutely. We deliberately keep this show ad-free because we think the insights should speak for themselves. If that's been valuable to you, and you want to support it, there's a link on our show notes: buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a simple way to keep the conversations going. Luna: And we really appreciate that. It's what lets us dive deep into cases like Fenty without any external pressure. Lucas: So, back to Fenty. The other thing I think is worth noting is how they've handled the decision stage in the age of social commerce. They were early to leverage Instagram Shopping and TikTok, making it possible to buy directly from a post or a video. That removes friction, which is crucial. Luna: And that friction reduction is something every brand can learn from. Whether it's a beauty product or a B2B service, every click a customer has to make is a chance for them to drop off. Lucas: Right. And Fenty keeps optimizing that. They're also big on email marketing, sending personalized recommendations based on past purchases, which nudges existing customers back into the funnel for repeat action. It's a beautiful example of a full-funnel strategy. Luna: I think the key takeaway is that Fenty didn't just create a funnel, they created a movement. And movements have a way of converting people who might otherwise never have considered the brand. Lucas: And that's the ultimate goal, isn't it? To make your brand a part of the customer's identity. When people buy Fenty, they're not just buying makeup, they're buying into a world of inclusivity and empowerment. And that's a powerful thing. Luna: So, for anyone listening, I'd say the question to ask is: what does your brand stand for, and is that reflected in every step of your funnel? Because if it's not, you're missing an opportunity to connect with your customers on a deeper level. Lucas: And that's the real lesson from Fenty Beauty. It's not just about shades or products, it's about aligning your values with your marketing. Do that, and you might just build a funnel that turns customers into advocates. Luna: And advocates who post, who refer, who come back. That's the dream. Lucas: That's the dream indeed. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time.