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Olipop
Brand Extension
My role:
The team:
Brand Composition, Package Design, Copywriting, Social Media Strategy, External Brand Partnerships, Competitive Analysis
Brian Nguyen (Brand Manager)
The Ask:
Create a product extension for a rapidly growing brand in the makeup category.
The Problem:
College students are faced with overwhelming lifestyles and often turn to junk food to alleviate stress. This not only has an impact on their overall health but especially their biggest organ – their skin.
The Solution:
Build upon Olipop’s foundation of a healthy, fun soda alternative to develop a skincare line that embraces the idea of “healthy and fun,” while appealing to a demographic that has a need for both products.
Brand Background
Olipop is a fun, healthy prebiotic soda alternative founded in 2017. The brand’s mission is to make fun, delicious beverages accessible that still nourish our bodies. Olipop has gone from selling in only 40 stores to over 23,000 stores in the U.S. and saw at least $20 million in sales each month during 2023. (CNBC)
Why should a soda company venture into skincare?
Because their biggest fans love it.
Olipop has captured Gen Z through dynamic content on TikTok.
By using celebrity influencers and recipe content, Olipop has racked up over 400K followers and 2M likes on the platform, where 29% of Gen Z shoppers most often discover consumer packaged goods products. (Tinuiti) The brand's promise of promoting gut health also attracts their audience, since it is one of Gen Z’s most sought-after health benefits from food, beverages, or nutrients. (Food Insight) (Insider Intelligence)
Another health concern Gen Z cares about? Their skin.
Given that people were going outside of their homes less due to COVID-19, people's beauty focus shifted more from makeup to skincare. Gen Z in particular took to skincare as the notion of health took more prominence in the world of cosmetics. In fact, more than four in 10 Gen Zers (41%) put skincare as their top beauty category. Which makes sense, considering Gen Z spends more on skincare than the previous generation, Millennials, as well as Gen X and Baby Boomers. (Klarna)
The skincare market is only glowing.
Global revenue in the 'Skin Care' segment of the beauty & personal care market was forecast to continuously increase between 2023 and 2028 by in total 30.5 billion U.S. dollars (+19.58%). After the eighth consecutive increasing year, the indicator is estimated to reach 186.2 billion U.S. dollars. (Statista)
Olipop can capitalize on their Gen Z fame by meeting their target audience where they are right now: college.
We identified our target audience as college students due to their high levels of stress, affinity for fizzy drinks, and obsession with skincare and beauty.
65% of college students consume soft drinks daily due to stress. (National Library of Medicine)
45% of American college students claimed to undergo “more than average stress.” (ACHA)
Stress itself is proven to alter a person’s hormones and in turn, cause skin changes.
The opportunity:
All Olipop’s sodas use nopal cactus (aka prickly pear cactus) as an ingredient. Upon further research into nopal cactus, we found the ingredient offers anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe irritated or inflamed skin – the dynamic benefits can treat a range of issues from dryness to acne. A skincare line focused on nopal cactus as the main ingredient could capture an audience that is already seen to appreciate Olipop.
BEAM's mission is to nourish confidence on the outside with BEAM skincare while creating goodness on the inside through OLIPOP beverages. By utilizing clean beauty recipes, the dynamic properties of nopal cactus, and accessible, inclusive messaging, this skincare assists through the transition from adolescence to adulthood.
Like BEAM's parent brand, Olipop, we understand that life is about balance. College students are asked to balance so much from school to extracurriculars to living on their own for the first time. While walking this balance beam can cause stress, we are here to provide the tools to take care of your biggest organ (your skin) to make sure you beam brighter everyday.
BEAM’s skincare line features a deep cleanser, hydrating toner, firming serum, and SPF 40 water cream. The product line is affordable, with the entire family of products totaling to a little under $60.
BEAM's placement is accessible and unexpected.
BEAM will be sold at accessible retailers Target, Ulta Beauty, and Walmart due proximity to college campuses and ability to capture Gen Z audiences in big box retailers.
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In addition to retailers, we are partnering with California colleges due to Olipop’s headquarters being located in the state. Placement at California colleges will take form of an Olipop and BEAM-exclusive vending machines, so college students can pick up their skincare line on their way back to dorms.
BEAM will partner with brands to showcase both sustainability and accessibility.
BEAM will partner with TerraCycle to place recycling bins on partner college campuses and with UniDays, a discount website free to enrolled college students, to offer a 20% off discount on all web orders.
A digital-first promotion strategy, with tangible rewards.
Social media presence is crucial, as 64% of Gen Zers say that social media has contributed to them spending more on beauty products than they would’ve otherwise. (LendingTree) Our social media will retain the same spirit as Olipop, using proven skincare content strategies.
In addition to website promotion, customers can order the online-only, limited edition Olipop Prickly Pear Lime flavor. We will also hold tabling events and giveaways on partner college campuses.
Why is this a bright opportunity?
The BEAM product line focuses on accessibility, sustainability, and inclusivity. Our judgement-free products are meant to take the stress out of skincare and appeal to a Gen Z audience that is stressed. By purchasing both Olipop and BEAM, our customers are taking care of their bodies inside and out.
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