CMO Erika Bennett and Essence Ventures on Their New Vision for Beautycon 2023
For any beauty lover who grew up on the internet in the 2010s, you'll remember how integral Beautycon was to the community. But in 2021, the annual event came to a dramatic halt before being acquired by Essence Ventures, a Black-owned private equity company that strives to empower and advocate for Black voices.
Under Essence Ventures, Beautycon will return to the wholesome, genuine celebration of beauty and community we once remembered—a message that might have gotten lost in the drama and later demise of Beautycon (and the industry's notable players) at the tail end of the '10s.
As Essence's Chief Marketing Officer Erika Bennett reveals to Sweety High, the initial revival and current development of Beautycon was to "redefine the brand's positioning" to better serve beauty consumers of all races, generations, gender identities, experiences and more. And there's no more sole focus on the industry's most influential characters and their singular definition of what beauty should be.
Ahead of Beautycon's commencement on Sep. 16, we sat down with Erika to further discuss the company's new vision. Keep reading to learn just what you should expect for this year's convention, and head to their website to purchase your tickets to the event.
Sweety High: You've been a key player at heavyweight companies like YouTube, Instagram and now Essence. What would you say has been most influential in preparing you for such major roles?
Erika Bennett: All of them have, and that's not a cop-out.
Every job that I have, especially as I look in the rearview mirror, has played such an important role in my development as an executive but also my understanding of global community.
The reason I went to YouTube is because I believed in the power of human storytelling and connection. YouTube, in my mind, was the network of the future. It was the way that the younger generation was learning about each other and culture. I was really grateful to work on original programming and their creator communities, like YouTube Black and [Asians on YouTube]. All these different communities wonderfully contribute to the vibrancy of that platform and help increase our worldview and understanding of how to connect on a human level.
When I went to Instagram, we were building a culture and community function. That was about helping the world understand that POC influence Instagram and global culture.
I feel really honored to learn how to stand up a team and department and do that passion and mission work.
Of course, Essence has been kind of a dream role for me because it's equal parts business—all the things I learned at YouTube and Instagram—and leaving an indelible mark and building a marketing function from the ground up. And doing so from the lens of a very mission-driven, passion-driven work supporting Black women and our communities through our Ventures brands.
(Image Courtesy of Essence Ventures/Beautycon)
Also read about: 6 Fresh and Juicy Makeup Products to Achieve the Ultimate Strawberry Girl Look
SH: How do you hope to promote inclusivity within this new era of Beautycon?
EB: Beautycon is for all, and we were very intentional as we started to look at our approach to brand strategy and our narrative. We started from a place of inclusion rather than building that later down the line. What we mean by that is not just welcoming all races and gender identities but also celebrating and embracing differences, from hair texture to body shape and skin tone.
So much of what is acceptable has been defined by a very small group of people, and our mission for Beautycon is that we become an event and brand that is active and vocal and a champion for inclusion. We understood the needs of the current state of the community, which is that we needed to return the power to define beauty on your own terms back to the individual, instead of a group of gatekeepers.
We did this with all generations in mind. I have 20 years of marketing experience with a specific point of view, but we have business leaders, like Sophia Dennis, who are Gen Z and very connected to what to what's happening in other generations—how they're defining beauty and rebelling against what society has said is acceptable.
What you're going to see at Beautycon LA and from this brand, as we continue to evolve, is an embrace of a more democratized definition of beauty, and we're not only prioritizing big celebrities. We're looking at the entire beauty community and how we can engage them and give everyone a voice and a platform.
Also read about: Bath & Body Works Prove It's Never Too Early for Spooky Season With New Halloween Lineup
SH: With Gen Z as one of the target audiences, how do you plan to preserve the core of Beautycon that people remember from the 2010s while also modernizing it?
EB: We're welcoming our doors to everyone, and it's been critical for us to be intentional about connecting with every generation. I go back to the need state of the consumer in each generation.
As I mentioned, you're going to see that in our programming. It's not going to be only creator-forward. It's going to be interactive and give people an opportunity to connect with one another. Not just a space to bolster and uplift one type of beauty influencer.
(Image Courtesy of Essence Ventures/Beautycon)
With that being said, we certainly are not ignoring our core base of fans who are excited we're back. We see that in our social posts and creators that are commenting. We are very fortunate and grateful we have a strong foundation and brand love from the community, and that is something we don't take for granted. But as our world evolves, we become more enlightened and educated. We're honing in on this opportunity to return the power to the people.
Also read about: New Products for Skincare Lovers to Add to Their Routines
SH: The timing of Beautycon is really interesting because we feel like there has been a resurgence of 2010s aesthetics in Gen Z pop culture. Do you think that nostalgia has fostered the demand for Beautycon? Have your plans, if at all, been affected by it?
EB: In general, I think nostalgia always plays a role in how brands move. The lens for us has just been how we can do it in a way that is right for right now and our consumers. How do we super-serve the needs of our audience?
I don't necessarily think nostalgia brought it back. We were more so looking at the urgent need around addressing the beauty industry and making sure we were an adamant advocate.
(Image Courtesy of Essence Ventures/Beautycon)
Also read about: 7 Best Makeup Products for Acne-Prone Skin
SH: Are there any other ways that you haven't touched on that you think sets this year's Beautycon apart from previous years?
EB: I don't want to give everything away. (Laughs.) We're finalizing a lot of our programming.
Again, we're kind of thinking about how to invite more people through our doors. We want more representation of different types of beauty and have interesting conversations about the definition itself. How can we be creator-forward? How can we think about Gen Z in the correct way? Those are all filters and lenses that ensure this is a new and fresh take on Beautycon.
Looking for a blast from the past? Read HERE for five things we discovered at Beautycon 2018.