In the latest example of the toppling of brand autocracy, Evio Beauty Group is advocating for the enfranchisement of beauty consumers by seeking their votes on its upcoming skincare product.
The beauty company behind Evelyn Iona Cosmetics is counting virtual ballots in a tight race between a serum, mask and cream to be the first item in its skincare range due out next year. As of last month, the serum had garnered 281 votes with the mask and cream close behind at 272 and 270 votes, respectively. The voting will be open until October and is accessible on Evelyn Iona’s website.
“Who better to tell us where we should put our resources than the people who are going to buy the product?” says Brandi Leifso, CEO and founder of Evio Beauty Group. “Right now, influencers are so hot, and I love them and am an Instagram junkie, but I think we’ve kind of lost the concept of who we are actually delivering things for. Is it for someone to post a picture on Instagram for people whose lives we are touching with a clean makeup routine?”
Evio Beauty Group is certainly not alone in soliciting consumer feedback, which helps shape the direction of a growing number of beauty brands such as Julep, Glossier and Volition Beauty. With assistance from digital platforms that amplify their reach, these brands integrate consumer reaction into their modus operandi because they believe it’s good for boosting sales and building customer relationships.
“Having our consumers vote is a way to tap into the connection we have with them,” says Leifso. “If somebody put time into giving you their opinion, it’s something that they will keep their eye out for.”
The voting also lets consumers in on Evio Beauty Group’s impending expansion beyond color cosmetics. “The reason why our mothership is called Evio Beauty Group is we also envision skincare, personal care and apparel. The first natural step seems to be skincare. We wanted to accumulate some information on whether that was something our conusumers are interested in,” explains Leifso. Feminine care merchandise and natural toothpaste are in the product pipeline, too.
Evio Beauty Group’s skincare voting process is simple. Customers just click on the picture of the product they want the company to launch. “I had a lot of people mention this would be a great opportunity to capture email addresses or more information, but I disagreed with that,” says Leifso. “Our mission in this is to accumulate information and that starts to get clouded if there’s obstacles in the way.”
“Having our consumers vote is a way to tap into the connection we have with them. If somebody put time into giving you their opinion, it’s something that they will keep their eye out for.”
Leifso is a bit disappointed the mask is not winning in Evio Beauty Group’s election. She surmises the serum is ahead due at least in part to the popularity of face oils. “We have learned that people are more conservative with their consumer choices than you might think,” she says. “Serums are something people are really familiar with. Also, trends play a big role. Masks are a trendy thing, but they are not as in the limelight of serums.”
After the voting is closed for the skincare product, Leifso plans to poll customers on the ingredient it should put in the item that triumphed. A cannabis-derived ingredient and avocado could be candidates in the forthcoming skincare ingredient race.
“Something I am super interested in is how the legalization of cannabis might affect the industry. It’s like a tech bubble in Canada. People are throwing money at cannabis in Canada,” says Toronto-based Leifso, adding, “I’m curious to see how open people are to it. When you ask people and it’s anonymous, it’s interesting to see what information you get in return.”
Evio Beauty Group is coming up with various methods to invite consumer feedback. Leifso is contemplating presenting different lip gloss shades in videos and having customers vote on the options they prefer. “Whether it is a voting feature or something else, there will always be interaction with the consumers to gather their opinions,” she says. “Who doesn’t like their voice to be heard especially if they know there’s action going to be taken on it?”
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