What makes a product skyrocket?
Simple. When celebrities use it.
Interestingly, the celebrities don’t even have to personally endorse the product. The act of using it is an endorsement in itself. Celebrities in movies, theater, sports, and even in politics can be walking promotion for companies.
This is powerful marketing and can cause an unknown or known product to skyrocket almost overnight.
An example of this phenomenon is Ben Nye Banana Powder.
The product and many others were created by Ben Nye, a Hollywood makeup artist. He knew what other makeup artists would want in a product. He knew what his clients and those of other makeup artists’ would want in a product – something that made them look better.
Top artists seem to love the Ben Nye powder. It’s reported to provide a superior matte finish that is very subtle. The product is translucent with a tinge of color that doesn’t clog pores.
Its website product promotes itself as a luxury highlighter and contour powder that creates a smooth finish. And, it is one of the top powders on the makeup market.
Ben Nye knew what he was doing. This is marketing at its finest.
A bit about Ben Nye and his business.
According to Wikipedia, Benjamin (Ben) Nye, Sr. was a famous makeup artist for the Hollywood film industry. He worked on top names from the 1930s to the early 1980s.
Because of his expertise, Nye founded the Ben Nye Makeup company in 1967. The company highlights the use of its products by renowned makeup artists in both the theater and film industries.
Being a savvy business man, Nye transitioned into makeup for the general public. And, with the connection to Hollywood and celebrities, he had powerful built-in endorsements.
Does quality matter in marketing and business… and makeup?
Absolutely.
While Nye had the right connections, if the product wasn’t extraordinary, it’s popularity wouldn’t have taken off. In the makeup business, Nye did what he did best. He created makeup that worked. He created a product that made celebrities look better and a product that makeup artists wanted to use and found easy to use.
Putting together a great product (high-quality makeup), the right tools (makeup artists), and the right target audience (celebrities), Nye created a powerful marketing mechanism.
This is why Nye’s business was successful and still is.
Of course, having celebrities use your product is a definite plus. It brings the ‘wow’ factor to a product. It provides the potential for a product to skyrocket.
But, again, without a quality product the rockets would quickly whimper out.
