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Eva NYC is winning the masstige market | Untangled Newsletter

PLUS: Kérastase’s streaming ad strategy reached 13.3M consumers

Author

Zihan Lyu
March 13, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

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Welcome to Untangled, your essential newsletter for haircare eCommerce professionals.

Live From SXSW 🎤

🎯 What Every eCommerce Marketer Was Talking About at SXSW

ClickZ has been on the ground at SXSW, reporting from exclusive interviews, panels, and sessions. Here are some standout takeaways for eCommerce marketers — and how to turn them into actionable growth opportunities:

✅ Audio Meets Video: Over 270M people now watch video podcasts on Spotify — but ad spend hasn’t caught up yet. The rise of multi-format content presents a major opportunity for brand engagement. Understanding cross-platform performance will be key to capitalizing on this shift.

✅ AI-Driven Personalization: AI is driving consumer expectations — with users engaging across 13+ platforms daily, they now expect hyper-personalized, native ad experiences. Real-time insights into which platforms are driving true impact will allow you to fine-tune your strategy.

✅ Authenticity Is Driving Performance: Authenticity and storytelling took center stage at SXSW, with brands and creators emphasizing genuine connections over technological spectacle. Marketing experts noted a shift away from "purpose fatigue," highlighting the importance of meaningful engagements that feel real.

📊 Understanding these shifts requires smarter measurement. That’s why leading brands are turning to Fospha to track cross-platform performance and uncover the true impact of brand engagement across channels.

Expert View 💡

Turning Tariff Challenges Into Brand Loyalty in Haircare

Rising raw material costs and import tariffs are squeezing haircare brands, but the smartest players are turning challenges into growth opportunities.

Some brands are tackling cost hikes head-on by being transparent about pricing. Instead of passing increases to consumers without explanation, they’re using storytelling to reveal the journey behind each product—why certain ingredients are used, how they’re sourced, and what justifies the price. This approach shifts the conversation from cost to quality, keeping trust intact.

At the same time, pricing strategies are evolving. Some brands introduce tiered product lines to maintain accessibility, while others refine their subscription models to create better long-term value. Pricing changes are now part of the customer experience.

Companies like HAIRtamin and Ceremonia show that transparency in formulation and pricing can turn industry pressures into competitive advantages. Rather than hiding behind rising costs, they educate consumers on why their products are worth the investment. That’s the difference between merely retaining customers and building long-term loyalty.

🎯 Exclusive: Get 10% Off Shoptalk Registration

ClickZ is thrilled to offer our readers an exclusive 10% discount on Shoptalk—where the future of retail takes shape.

Shoptalk brings together the biggest names in eCommerce and retail to explore the latest trends and challenges—from AI-driven personalization to shifting consumer behavior.

ClickZ will be on the ground at Shoptalk, sharing exclusive insights with our readers. Fospha will be attending too—book a meeting to discover how performance-driven measurement can transform your strategy.

👉 Register now using the code RBCLICK269.
👉 Book a Meeting with Fospha

Sector Spotlight 🎥

BRAND ENGAGEMENT

In 2025, leveraging AI tools and personalization becomes crucial as the haircare industry pivots towards innovative digital marketing. Emphasizing sustainable and eco-friendly products, market trends highlight the importance of social media influence and tailored solutions. Engaging ethically-minded consumers with AI-driven diagnostics can enhance brand presence, driving customer loyalty.

MASSTIGE MARKET GROWTH

Eva NYC leverages the masstige haircare market, marrying premium quality with affordability, realizing a 73% growth in 2024. CEO Annie Kolemainen prioritizes strategic online and offline distribution, sustainability, and digital engagement, powering brand loyalty. Through innovative eCommerce strategies, the brand expands its reach and consumer connection.

DIGITAL AD STRATEGIES

Kérastase's Première launch leverages Amazon Ads to engage 13.3M users, spiking brand searches by 80% and boosting conversions by 30%.

Integrating streaming ads with precision targeting, the campaign underscores the line's decalcifying and repairing features.

AI-POWERED MARKET EVOLUTION

Estée Lauder's ConsumerIQ AI agent unifies insights from 25 brands in 150 countries to boost digital marketing strategies. Engaging with Microsoft empowers dynamic trend detection and personalized marketing, slashing research time and driving swift, data-driven decisions.

BEAUTY INNOVATION

Maesa's 2025 Magic Incubator empowers beauty entrepreneurs from underserved communities like BIPOC and LGBTQIA by supporting innovative brands such as Motivo Scar Care, Berri-Clear Skincare, and The Potion Studio. Access to strategic mentorship and industry platforms aids scaling, enhancing their market presence and reinforcing beauty industry inclusivity and innovation.

Influencer Corner 📣

Sam Carter on LinkedIn: We've partnered with Snap Inc. for an exclusive SXSW masterclass

Snapchat has emerged as a critical channel for diversification and new customer acquisition, across its 453M daily active users.

Brands are catching on to the opportunity here, as seen in Snapchat’s latest earnings report on advertising revenue growth.

But most are only scratching the surface: Snapchat consistently shows up as one of the channels most underreported by click-based attribution. Our latest benchmarking report identified an average of +78% headroom for brands to profitably scale the channel.

Optimization Hub ⚙️

RETAIL MEDIA AND CREATOR PARTNERSHIPS

Retailers are selling influence now. As Retail Media Networks transform into full-scale media businesses, brands are turning to creators to drive real revenue, not just awareness.

But throwing money at influencers is not enough. The smartest brands are integrating creators into data-driven, performance marketing strategies that actually move the needle. This is where first-party data meets real consumer trust.

AI-ENHANCED MARKETING

Google's AI Mode reshapes search landscapes, presenting unique opportunities to boost product visibility, engagement, and precise targeting. With shifts from traditional search, carefully optimizing content for AI-generated summaries is key. Embracing this transformation can enhance strategies in competitive, data-driven eCommerce channels.

AD TECH EVOLUTION

In 2025, ad tech advances through AI solutions, programmatic strategies, and privacy-focused methods. Leaders highlight AI's potential in optimizing consumer engagement and the value of direct partnerships within CTV's evolving landscape.

ClickZ is a Contentive publication in the DTC Ecommerce division