Bésame Cosmetics
Brand direction and communications strategy for an LA cosmetics boutique that’s big in the movies but was struggling for sales on the street.
Brand Identity • Logo Design • Brand Strategy • Market Positioning
Everyone deserves that red lip feeling, no matter their age, lip shape or the day of the week.
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Bésame Cosmetics are beloved in Hollywood for authentic vintage makeup made with modern ingredients. So how could that success on screen translate to sales on the street?
A 20% drop in yearly sales exposed an over-reliance on repeat customers, Disney collabs alienating those vintage enthusiasts, and inconsistent branding confusing new buyers.
Add the intimidation factor of bold vintage makeup, and the barriers were clear.
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Lead with lipstick as an easy entry point for new buyers. Make a bold lip feel like a safe choice to lift an everyday look. Bring Bésame’s glamour off the screen and onto the street.
We positioned the brand around true color, longevity and ease: richly pigmented, long-lasting formulas; compacts and cases made to endure and treasure; iconic looks from the past made effortless for today.
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Bésame recouped the 20% sales deficit the following year, attracted more first-time buyers, and increased sales, engagement and clickthrough across email and social.
“It was very easy to get all the team on the same page, really fast. People just got it.”
“Finally something actionable”. “Easier all the way around”.
CONCEPTS
Visualisations include AI-generated imagery and third-party reference footage, for internal use.
A conceptual video made to communicate brand direction early in the process, to express the DNA of Bésame.
#redlipday
An update to the existing logo provided legibility without sacrificing elegance. The script was based on the founder’s own handwritten wordmark, and can be used for Signature editions and special moments. A fresh iconic logo and wordmark allowed distinctive brand assets to be used on products, packaging and web-based communications.