Glossier Focus Group Report

Introduction
The Glossier research team conducted a focus group with four women who are in Glossier’s target
audience (Cho, 2020, para. 1):
Glossier primarily aims to target females between the ages of 16-25 who have a lower budget
but also appreciate high-quality products that support progressive ideals such as sustainability,
social justice, and body positivity.

The focus group gave the team insight into Glossier’s use of social media and the public’s general
perception of the company.

The purpose of the focus group was to collect qualitative data about Glossier’s target audience, gain an
understanding of why and how they are targeted by Glossier, and their general perception and opinions
of the company.

Participant Background
Participant 1: 19-year-old female college student who has somewhat heard of Glossier but has never
used its products, has seen social media content but does not actively follow or seek out content.
Participant 2: 20-year-old female college student who prefers minimal and natural styles, has heard of
Glossier, uses its products and follows the brand on social media (Instagram).
Participant 3: 19-year-old college female student who has somewhat heard of Glossier but is not very
interested in the content or products.
Participant 4: 21-year-old college female student who is very into makeup and beauty trends, follows
Glossier and similar companies, and has used Glossier products before.

Methodology
Generation Z, college-aged women were recruited by the researchers for the focus group. The
participants were first screened to ensure they had a general and/or basic knowledge of who Glossier is,
what the brand is known for and if they would be willing to participate in the focus group. All four
participants answered “yes” to these questions and the researchers received verbal consent to record
and use the data.

The focus group lasted approximately 45 minutes and the discussion ranged from Glossier’s social media
presence and perception, to past controversies and issues and to competitor insights. The participants
were asked if they followed Glossier on social media and on what platforms, what content captured their
attention, what values and messaging they saw present in the content, what they thought of certain
controversies involving Glossier and the company’s responses, as well as how the brand stood out
against competitors in the industry. No additional information was provided to the participants prior to
the focus group

The focus group was conducted over and recorded by Zoom and was manually transcribed by the team.

Focus Group Analysis

From the information gathered during the focus group, the team concluded that Glossier’s consistent
messaging and visual aesthetics on its social media accounts contribute heavily to its appeal to a female
Gen Z audience. Additionally, the company’s ambassadorship with pop star Olivia Rodrigo furthers
Glossier’s allure to women of those generations (ages 16-25) and helps with the company’s general
public perception.

Key Observations
Key observations from the focus group:
· Glossier’s visual aesthetic greatly appeals to its target audience (Gen Z women)
· Glossier’s use of influencers, namely pop star Olivia Rodrigo, not only helps with
appealing to the target audience, but also helps with the company’s image
· Although received with mixed reactions, Glossier’s response to certain controversies can
be improved

Key Themes
The Importance of Glossier’s Visual Appeal to its Audience
Throughout the focus group, it was found that Glossier’s visuals, especially on social media, heavily
contribute to its appeal to the targeted market.

Participant 2 said this about the company, regarding its aesthetic appeal:
From what I know of Glossier, I feel like it’s a company that very much focuses on a natural, minimal
aesthetic and look… I’ve seen a lot of their marketing, that’s sort of what I know them by (See Appendix
A).

While Participant 2 agreed that Glossier was known for their visuals, they also said they
would not mind seeing a change in direction:
Honestly, I wouldn’t mind for them to be a little more edgy. I think, right now, their overall aesthetic is
very soft (See Appendix A).

Glossier’s Use of Influencers

Another key finding from the focus group was that people mainly knew about the company through
influencers promoting it, not so much through an organic discovery. Additionally, the researchers
determined that Glossier’s use of these influencers was deemed effective and beneficial to the company.
Participant 2, who was already familiar with the brand prior to the session, said this about Glossier’s use
of influencers:
I think it’s done really great. I think they’ve used influencers in, like, a good marketing way. They’re not
being overly annoying as some other brands are. I think they do a nice job with it (Appendix A).

Unlike Participant 2, Participant 1 was not very familiar with Glossier, but had seen the company be
promoted by influencers:
I have heard of Glossier, but I have never used it. I hear their products are really good, I see a lot of
influencers promote their products and stuff (Appendix A).

Brand Ambassador Olivia Rodrigo

In early 2022, Glossier announced its first celebrity brand ambassador Olivia Rodrigo, a 19-year-old
global pop star (Dodson, 2022, para. 1). The participants knew about Rodrigo’s ambassadorship prior to
the session and thought it was greatly beneficial to Glossier’s image and public perception.

Participant 1 said this about Rodrigo as a Glossier influencer:

I feel like Olivia is a very positive person, so I feel like it matches pretty well. And she’s really popular right
now so, I feel like it’s going to go really well for the brand (Appendix A).

Glossier’s Response to Controversy Receives Mixed Reactions

In 2020, former Glossier retail employees created an anonymous Instagram account called Outta the
Gloss to expose toxic behavior in some of the flagship stores (Amatulli, 2020, para. 2). The controversy
involved a boycott of the company. The participants were not aware of this issue prior to the session.
They were informed about what demands were made by the former employees to see change in the
company and what the company’s response was.

Participant 2 said this about the issue:

I'm surprised that this happened, but I think it's fair for the employees to have this and start this
movement (Appendix A).

Because the controversy happened in conjunction with the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020,
Glossier created the Black-Owned Beauty Business Grant Initiative with the purpose of donating money
to small businesses owned by people from marginalized communities (Nasinde, 2021, para. 1). This
action taken by Glossier was well-received by the public.

Participant 3 said this about the grant initiative:

I think the black business fund is really good on their part (Appendix A).

However, not everyone felt the response was satisfactory enough to continue supporting the company.

Participant 1 said this about Glossier’s response:

I feel like if the employees were still boycotting after the initial response, I don’t think they did enough…
there are so many companies and products, that if there’s one that doesn’t provide well for their
employees or there’s a controversy, I can find other products and I don’t need to get them from this one
company (Appendix A).

Limitations of the Study

The participants of the focus group were recruited by researchers who had prior knowledge of their
experience with Glossier, which could have led to biased or predictable answers. Additionally, the session
was conducted virtually, over Zoom, which limited observations of non-verbal communication and
limited interaction.

Ideas for Future Research

Topics discussed during the focus group will be further examined in the Survey Report that will be sent to
Glossier’s target audience. The team will continue to research content trends, influencer and
ambassador impact and the company’s public perception amid past controversies.