Haircare Case Study: Big Social Splash at Launch Doesn’t Guarantee Momentum

A recent case study from CreatorIQ examines the social metrics and Earned Media Value (EMV) around Beyoncé’s haircare brand Cécred, Tracee Ellis Ross’s Pattern Beauty and others. It reveals that even the most successful product launches — including those backed by celebrities — can face challenges to maintain momentum. 

• During the month it launched (February 2024), Beyoncé’s Cécred rocketed to No. 1 on CreatorIQ’s U.S. haircare leaderboard with $13.9 million in EMV — 8X more EMV than what Tracee Ellis Ross’s Pattern Beauty received during its 2019 launch month. 
• But by May 2024, both brands were neck-and-neck for EMV, with Cécred garnering $2.1 million and Pattern Beauty receiving $1.9 million — and in terms of month-over-month growth, Pattern Beauty saw a notable 46% increase from April, while Cécred’s EMV declined by 54%. 
• One key factor: ongoing creator retention. In May 2024, Cécred’s retention score was 18%, vs. Pattern Beauty’s impressive 52.9%. 

CreatorIQ notes, “If someone is posting about you more than once, they’re bound to get creative with the way they incorporate you into their content. Retained creators reliably expand both the volume and quality of content about a brand, making retention crucial for building strong creator marketing programs.”