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The Best of BoF 2025: Setting the Tone

Beauty marketing was a mixed back this year, as brands and retailers asserted themselves among rabid Gen Alpha shoppers, tackled new AI search engines and tried to remain relevant in the most competitive market of all time.
New beauty brands launching for Gen Alpha have taken a cue from the candy-coloured labels they gravitate toward.
(BoF Studio)

As cultural tones shifted dramatically over the year, against a backdrop of near-constant economic anxiety, beauty brands struggled to strike the right chord. This fact was evidenced by two of the most panned campaigns this year: E.l.f Beauty’s courtroom sketch starring soft-cancelled comedian Matt Rife, and Sephora’s ill-judged Mariah Carey Christmas advert that encouraged reckless spending.

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