NBCUniversal and Sephora launched a campaign celebrating Latina beauty brand founders to underscore Sephora’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We aimed to align with cultural values and tap into the Hispanic’s audience demand for authentic representation.
A proprietary study by NBCU's insights team highlighted the importance of brands that honor cultural values; 56% of Hispanics say they are more likely to continue watching content when it includes representation*.
Incorporating these insights and Sephora’s objectives, we produced a documentary series called, “The Foundation of Belleza,” which honors heritage while challenging beauty paradigms within Latine communities.
Adrienne Bailon-Houghton guides viewers through intimate conversations with Latina founders, weaving in family legacies and influencer perspectives to explore generational beauty narratives and debunk stereotypes. This series serves as a timely response to a shifting cultural landscape where authenticity and cultural representation are paramount.
At this juncture, there's a palpable thirst from the Hispanic audience for genuine representation and a redefinition of beauty norms. Our docu-series directly addresses this zeitgeist, amplifying Latine voices and setting new standards for inclusivity in media and branded storytelling. By foregrounding Latine perspectives, we not only resonate with our target audience but also contribute to the broader narrative of diversity and inclusion.
Rooted in US Hispanic insights, our creative strategy focused on authentic cultural connections that resonate deeply; that not only engaged but also empowered the Latine community.
The series exemplifies the ideals of authentic collaboration in Branded Content taking marketing and storytelling to new heights.
While the series delves into the significance of cultural representation within the beauty industry and celebrates culture, we aim to offer fresh perspectives to new Latine generations, blending personal narratives with the journeys of three beauty brand founders, alongside Adrienne's and influencers' stories. Themes of generational constructs of beauty and reshaping Latine beauty traditions were explored.
Each episode is hyper-focused on a beauty topic with the overarching theme throughout the series of exploring what beauty means to Latines from generation to generation.
Integral to our approach is leveraging the beauty brands highlighted – haircare, skincare, and fragrance – as conversation starters, linking them to cultural topics surrounding generational perceptions of hair, skin, and fragrance. This ensures our creative insight directly amplifies the brand message, fostering engagement and resonance within the Latine community.
Each episode guided by Adrienne, focuses on a beauty topic intertwining cultural narratives surrounding it. Episode one, Belleza in Hair Textures, discusses hair, representation, and the perception of Latines within the industry introducing the Latina haircare brand. Episode two, Belleza in All Shades, focuses on skincare and the significance of community visibility in all shades, introducing an afro-latina skincare brand. Episode three, Belleza Smells Authentic, hinting to an innovative future of beauty expression through fragrance, introducing a third Latina founder. The final episode, Adrienne reflects on her journey while embracing the beauty in Latinidad.
Four 20-minute episodes streamed on Peacock with 72 custom pieces across platforms to amplify the series. Notably, 92% of the crew involved were Latine, echoing our commitment to diversity and representation on and off-screen. This meticulous execution with a 4-month production window, ensured the series reached its intended scale while authentically connecting with our audience.
Our promotional strategy was equally crucial, leveraging ancillary content across social and digital platforms. Utilizing the brand’s, and talent's personal channels as influencers, we maximized reach and engagement, fostering community interaction and amplifying the series' impact.
Our objective was to drive brand awareness and for the audience’s to authentically connect with Sephora’s core values with being inclusive with their beauty brands.
The series resonated strongly with US Hispanics, boosting Sephora’s brand awareness and perception to 91%; including an unprecedented 13% lift in Sephora’s brand trust among Latine audiences. The brand saw an 11% lift in recommendation intent reflecting positive cultural impact with the Hispanic audience.
The Hispanic audience agreed that our partner is a reputable brand focused on offering a diverse range of products for different people, growing from 70% to 91%. Sephora became more favorable to exposed docu-series watchers, who appreciated the brand for supporting diverse beauty founders, driving an 11-point increase from 75% to 86%.
Audience engagement on social media was overwhelmingly positive with an appreciation of the representation and cultural significance of the series, bringing to light our partner’s goals in demonstrating inclusivity through culture-first content.
During the 10-week campaign we saw amazing results and consumer engagement with the content, beating all campaign goals by double digits:
