In a haircare category driven by prestige polish and constant product drops, amika saw an opportunity to do the opposite: grow by getting closer to its community. In a category flooded with launches and product overload, consumers were lacking brands that felt like friends. Built on joyful self-expression, real results for all hair, and a deeply community-first point of view, amika believed connection, not exclusivity, could fuel modern growth. As retail expansion accelerated and competition intensified in 2025, the challenge became how to scale across more platforms, retailers, and launches without losing the human energy that made consumers feel part of the brand.
In partnership with media agency of record January Digital, amika introduced The Collective Momentum Model: an always-on, creator-powered ecosystem designed to turn community engagement into sustained cultural presence and measurable performance. Rather than relying on celebrity spend or one-time tentpole campaigns, amika built a distributed creator ecosystem engineered for compounding momentum instead of spikes and drop-off.
The work was guided by four strategic objectives:
By shifting from campaign-based thinking to an always-on cultural engine, amika redefined how a modern prestige haircare brand grows.
The Collective Momentum Model came to life through mass reach paired with precise creative and real-time responsiveness. amika and January Digital shifted from a “newness-first” posture to a model balancing innovation with core heroes consumers already loved. Cross-functional collaboration identified product gaps, isolated growth drivers by channel, and reallocated spend so media reflected live business signals rather than a static plan. Community response shaped execution, with high-performing creator narratives informing paid sequencing, product prioritization, and retailer storytelling.
A video-first system anchored the year. Platform-specific creative was developed by funnel stage: longer-form storytelling to drive reach across YouTube and CTV, paired with shorter creator-led edits optimized for TikTok and Meta. Creative and CTAs were tailored to platform behaviors, aligning with the consumer mindset from discovery through conversion. On Amazon, media structure, targeting, and PDP creative supported discovery and purchase, driving growth despite being outspent by key competitors.
Creators were central to growth, built for credibility, education, and inclusivity. In partnership with influencer agency Gatemaker, who sourced and contracted talent while delivering content for paid amplification, amika scaled a distributed creator ecosystem reaching consumers from every angle:
Pro and stylist voices reinforcing professional trust
Transformation-led creators delivering high-signal visual proof, particularly those showcasing curly hair
Culturally relevant talent extending reach and driving broader cultural conversation, including partnerships with recognizable personalities like Olandria (Love Island), Ashley Benson, and Olivia Culpo
A wide range of hair types and identities reinforcing amika’s “all hair is welcome” promise, where even unexpected male creators such as @mattloveshair and @jonathanmonroe delivered standout performance
While many beauty brands center a single ambassador, amika engineered momentum stacking through macro and mid-tier creators working in parallel, creating the perception that the brand was everywhere at once. Each launch reinforced the last rather than competing for attention. The content reflected the brand’s DNA, leaning into joyful realism through stylists teaching in real bathrooms, unfiltered curl transformations, and storytelling that felt like a friend’s recommendation.
Throughout the year, launches were treated as cultural moments, not one-week bursts. Early 2025 introduced Superfruit Star with a full-funnel video rollout driving awareness and performance. Mid-year, the Perk Up collaboration with Ellis Brooklyn sustained momentum and consistently sold out, followed by Frizz Me Not, which performed strongly at Sephora. Each launch was intentionally paced to build on the last rather than compete for attention.
In the second half of the year, this foundation supported amika’s retail expansion into Ulta while maintaining a strong, differentiated presence at Sephora through exclusive products such as Soulstruck and Kure. Social and creator-led education ensured assortments were clearly communicated without diluting the brand story. Premium placements and a first-time TikTok Top Feed test maximized visibility, allowing amika to enter Ulta at scale while sustaining momentum at Sephora.
By year’s end, awareness and consideration had compounded throughout the year, so when the highest-stakes selling periods arrived, demand was already there, proving this was more than a campaign strategy but an operating model for how a prestige haircare brand grows without losing its soul.
The Collective Momentum Model translated cultural connection into measurable business growth, making 2025 amika’s strongest year to date.
Cultural Impact
Retail Impact
Business Growth
Together, these results powered amika’s strongest year in brand history and validated The Collective Momentum Model as a new blueprint for sustainable prestige beauty growth.
