RESPONSE TO REQUEST

FOR

JENNIFER GORDON
LAUREN HART

November 29, 2018

Executive Summary for Tarte Cosmetics ...................................................................................... 4
Client Description ................................................................................................................................. 7
Organizational Chart
..................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Situational Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 10
Figure 1: Influencer reviewing foundation ........................................................................................................ 11

Communications Audit .................................................................................................................... 13

Email Newsletter ........................................................................................................................................... 13
Figure 2: Tarte Email Examples .............................................................................................................................. 13
Figure 3: Tarte Email Examples #2 ....................................................................................................................... 13
Figure 4: Twitter example ......................................................................................................................................... 14
Figure 5: CrowdTangle Twitter follower summary ....................................................................................... 15
Figure 6: CrowdTangle Instagram Follower Summary ................................................................................ 16
Figure 7: Sample Tarte Instagram posts from 9/23-9/24 .......................................................................... 17
Figure 8: CrowdTangle Instagram Interactions .............................................................................................. 18
Figure 9: Influencer campaign example .............................................................................................................. 19
Figure 10: CrowdTangle Facebook Posts ........................................................................................................... 20
Figure 11: CrowdTangle Facebook interaction rates .................................................................................... 20
Figure 12: CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics posts vs. Too Faced Cosmetics Posts .............................. 22
Figure 13: CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics Twitter followers vs. Too Faced Cosmetics Followers
............................................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Figure 14: CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics Instagram posts vs. Too Faced Cosmetics Instagram
posts .................................................................................................................................................................................... 24
Figure 15: CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics Facebook posts vs. Too Faced Cosmetics Facebook
posts .................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
Figure 16:CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics Facebook interaction rate vs. Too Faced Cosmetics
interaction rate .............................................................................................................................................................. 25
Figure 17: CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics Twitter interaction rate vs. Milk Makeup interaction
rate ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 27
Figure 18: CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics Instagram interaction rate vs. Milk Makeup
Instagram interaction rate ........................................................................................................................................ 28
Figure 19: Milk Makeup Instagram Campaign ................................................................................................. 29
Figure 20: CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics Facebook interaction rate vs. Milk Makeup Facebook
interaction rate .............................................................................................................................................................. 30

Stakeholder Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 30

Audience Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 31
Figure 21: Audience Persona 1 ............................................................................................................................... 33
Figure 21: Persona #2 ................................................................................................................................................. 35

Primary Research .............................................................................................................................. 35

Figure 23: SurveyMonkey graph #1 ..................................................................................................................... 36
Figure 24: SurveyMonkey Graphic #2 ................................................................................................................. 37
 Figure 25: Survey Monkey Graph #2 .................................................................................................................... 38
Figure 26: Survey Monkey Graph #3 .................................................................................................................... 38

Secondary Research .......................................................................................................................... 39

SWOT Analysis .................................................................................................................................... 39
SPEC Analysis ...................................................................................................................................... 42
Theoretical Underpinnings ............................................................................................................ 45
Goal and Objectives ........................................................................................................................... 45
Big Idea/ Campaign Theme: #ShowUsYourShadeMatch ...................................................... 47
Figure 27: Tarte Campaign Instagram examp .................................................................................................. 47

Messaging/Storytelling
.................................................................................................................................................................. 48
Budget
.................................................................................................................................................................. 49
Timeline ................................................................................................................................................ 50
Evaluation ............................................................................................................................................ 51
Future Recommendations .............................................................................................................. 53
Sources Cited ....................................................................................................................................... 54
Appendix 1: Research Materials ................................................................................................... 55
Appendix 2: Media List
.................................................................................................................................................................. 60
Appendix 3: Media Pitch.................................................................................................................. 61
.................................................................................................................................................................. 61
Appendix 4: Social Media Posts
.................................................................................................................................................................. 62
................................................................................................................................................ 62
Figure 28: Facebook mockup post ......................................................................................................................... 62
Figure 29: Instagram mockup post ....................................................................................................................... 62
Figure 30: Twitter mockup post ............................................................................................................................. 62

Appendix 5: Press Release .............................................................................................................. 63

Appendix 6: Clip Report .................................................................................................................. 64
.................................................................................................................................................................. 65
Executive Summary for Tarte Cosmetics

Tarte Cosmetics has done a fair job in trying to create a diverse brand but the Shape-tape
foundation got backlash for the lack of inclusivity and diversity in the shade range. The
following proposal describes how our public relations team can implement more events, contests
and social media campaigns to improve inclusivity and diversity surrounding the brand. By
completing these strategies Tarte will see more positive conversations which will lead to higher
product sales.

This proposal is comprised of the situation analysis, communications audit and analysis of the
stakeholders and audience. Primary and secondary research was conducted to create a SWOT
and SPEC about Tarte and the campaign. After the proposal moves into the goals and objectives
for the campaign. This will also introduce the big idea and campaign theme which will be shown
through different examples of messaging strategies. Concluding this proposal will be the
evaluation of the performance of the campaign.
 Jennifer Gordon
Public Relations Student

Jennifer Gordon is currently a student at the Walter Cronkite School of

Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. She is
pursuing a B.A. in journalism and mass communication with a focus on
public relations. She also is obtaining a minor in special events
management and a certificate in sales and marketing. She has four years
of experience in customer service between working in sales at a local
boutique to being a server at a breakfast restaurant.

Gordon currently works at The PUSH Agency as the corporate intern. In

her position, she manages her time between data entries, recruiting
talent, managing talent profiles, communicating with clients over the
phone and updating the company’s social media accounts.

During her first year at ASU, Gordon served on the executive board for Pi Beta Phi as the vice
president of housing. In this position, she oversaw everything that was linked to the housing
property for Pi Phi. Throughout her term she learned leadership skills and how to manage a
property. She has also served as Greek sing chair where she organized and choreographed a
performance benefiting the charity The Valley of the Sun United Way.

In addition to serving on her sorority’s executive board, Gordon also interned at Tie the Knot by
Tessa who is a local wedding planner in Arizona. Her role was to update social media, assist
Tessa with everyday tasks and work onsite on wedding days. With this position, she gained
leadership skills and learned how to act quickly to manage emergencies.

During her junior year of college, Gordon interned at Entercom Radio as a promotions intern. .
She assisted the promotions department by helping to develop new promotion ideas and also
helped manage onsite promotional events. At this internship, she gained promotional experience
and learned how to work with clients to create radio promotions for concerts and events.

She is expecting to graduate in May of 2019 and plans to move to Florida to pursue her career in
public relations.
 Lauren Hart
Mass Communication and Journalism Student
www.laurenehart.weebly.com

Lauren Hart is a senior at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism

and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. She is
pursuing a degree in journalism and mass communication with an
emphasis in public relations. Hart is also pursuing minors in both
digital audiences and women’s studies during her time at ASU.

During Hart’s time at ASU she has taken classes in multimedia

journalism, digital analytics, reporting, public relations writing and
public relations research. She is currently participating in ASU’s
new Digital Audiences Lab. In the pioneering semester of this
professional program, students work with real clients to create strategies to grow their digital
audiences. Hart hopes this experience will enhance her knowledge in engaging digital audiences
and diversify her in the workforce.

In spring of 2018, Hart completed a public relations internship at the Knight Agency in
Scottsdale, Arizona. At the Knight Agency, she planned multiple events, secured radio, print and
TV coverage, and conducted secondary client research.

Hart wrote for ASU’s State Press Magazine in the fall of 2017, where her work was featured in
all three print issues and published online. She covered issues such as sustainability, dementia-
friendly programs in Tempe, Arizona, and comprehensive sexual health education in public high
schools.

Prior to her magazine work and public relations internship, she completed an internship with
GPME Group in Scottsdale, where she worked closely with clients to craft social media
strategies that fit their target audience, wrote press releases and created content.

Hart’s expected graduation date is spring of 2019. She hopes to work in public relations or
digital marketing after graduation.
Client Description

Maureen Kelly started Tarte Cosmetics in 2000 with the passion of creating products that
consisted of healthy ingredients mixed with luxury elements. Tarte created the use of high-
performance naturals™ which started the company’s mission
of having the best ingredients that hold up all day long. The
products consist of skin-balancing Amazonian clay and non-
greasy maracuja oil.

Cruelty Free
Hypoallergenic
Vegan

History:

1999- Tarte is created in New York City in Maureen Kelly’s

apartment. The first product created was the cheek stain.
2000- Tarte is sold at Henri Bendel.
2003- Sephora starts to sell Tarte Cosmetics.
2005- Marks the year of the debut of the famous lights,
camera, lashes™ mascara. Also Tarte joins the shopping
channel QVC.
2007- During a trip to Brazil the Amazonian Clay is
discovered by Maureen herself.
2007- Tarte launches “tarte talk” an online community for Q&As.
2010- Tarte starts selling in Ulta.
2014- The Japanese company Kose acquires Tarte and helps spread its mission around the world.
2016- The new hypoallergenic and vegan product line is released.
- Also the gym-bag perfect collection and the Rainforest of the Sea™ collection are
both launched
- The Shape Tape concealer launches and almost sold out immediately, making it a
makeup lover favorite and adopted the hashtag #shapetapenation
2017- By this time Tarte Cosmetics ships to over 190 countries.
Management:

Maureen Kelly is the founder of Tarte and is the active CEO of the company. Kelly was getting
her doctorate in psychology at Columbia when she decided to pursue a different path then getting
a PhD. She went on to pursue her passion for cosmetics. Kelly envisioned creating a cosmetic
line that was easy to apply.

Jessica White the senior director of PR & events at Tarte has been with the company for in total
almost six years. White received a degree in journalism and mass communication at Arizona
State University. After obtaining her degree she started working as a freelancer for Vogue, then
moved to the marketing and promotions department at Harper’s Bazaar. Then she was a
associate beauty editor at Cosmopolitan Magazine and then became a beauty writer for Sephora.
After Sephora she went to Tarte for almost three years and then worked at Bliss as the senior
manager of communications for a little over a year. In 2015 she returned to Tarte where, she has
been working for the past three years as the director of PR & brand partnerships, and was
recently promoted to senior director of PR & events.

Lauren Vacca is the public relations and social media assistant manager and has been for a little
over a year. Vacca got her degree in communication and media studies at James Madison
University. After college, she became a fashion assistant intern at Marie Claire, where she was
the personal assistant to Zanna Roberts Rassi. After this internship she became an account
assistant at PR Consulting where she worked for about two years. During that time, she moved
up to associate account executive and then the associate account executive global. In November
of 2015, she started at Tarte Cosmetics as the PR & Social Coordinator, then moved to the public
relations and social senior coordinator and then to the position she is now as the public relations
and social media assistant manager.

Headquarters: New York City, NY

Address: 1375 Broadway #800, New York, NY 10018
Phone Number: (212) 677-3385

URL: https://tartecosmetics.com

@tartecosmetics

@tartecosmetics

@tartecosmetics

Organizational Chart

The following chart is Tarte’s public relations and marketing team. This team handles the
marketing of new products and campaigns, social media, press releases and event planning.
Situational Analysis

Tarte Cosmetics has established itself as one of the leading companies in innovative, natural
makeup (Goins, 2016). Originally founded in 1999, Tarte has always been committed to creating
makeup without harsh ingredients for its whole audience. As the beauty industry expands, it will
be imperative for Tarte to keep up with brands who rival it in innovation, inclusivity, and
creativity.

Brands that have been around for decades like Bobbi Brown, Too Faced, Maybelline and Marc
Jacobs are increasing their shade ranges to become more inclusive. There are also newer brands
that have always been inclusive entering the marketplace like Milk Makeup, Cover FX, Fenty
Beauty, and Hourglass. Tarte falls somewhere in the middle of these brands because it has been
around for a while, but have not made many cultural statements.

Tarte succeeds in the market when it comes to trendy products and natural ingredients.
According to Facebook Audience Insights, Tarte’s largest target audience is 18-34-year-old
women. A large part of the reason that the beauty industry is continuing to move toward more
natural ingredients is due to this target audience becoming more health conscious (Raphael,
2017).

In recent years, the beauty industry has also seen a boom in the influencer market. There are
hundreds of voices in the beauty community now, which means consumers can listen to more
than just the brand voices. This factor is a significant contributor to why the demand for
inclusivity has increased (Yap, 2017).

In an article by Sharon Thiruchelvam for Raconteur, she discusses how the beauty industry needs
to be more inclusive in ethnicity, age, and gender. The article discusses how in Rihanna’s
makeup line, “Fenty Beauty,” the darkest foundation shade sold out the fastest. Thiruchelvam
says, “Finally, brands have dropped marketing claims such as ‘anti-aging’ and ‘age-defying’ that
imply aging is a shameful and ugly process,” (Thiruchelvam, 2017, para.7).

Taking all of this into account, Tarte is not being criticized for its ingredients or its marketing
toward an older demographic. It is being criticized for its lack of inclusivity and shade range in
its foundation lines.

As mentioned before, Rihanna launched her line of cosmetics, Fenty Beauty, in September of
2017 with products suitable for all skin tones including 40 shades of foundation. Following the
launch, Fenty Beauty set the standard for shade ranges. When Tarte launched its Shape Tape
Double Duty Foundation with only 15 shades, Tarte’s audience was not pleased. Customers and
influencers took to social media to speak their thoughts.

Below are a few threads from a Reddit board titled, “Tarte Shape Tape Foundation Reviews
Megathread.”
 “Does anyone else think it’s absolutely bonkers that POC beauty gurus were SENT
shades of foundation that clearly don’t match them???Like out of everything else I just
couldn’t believe Tarte had the audacity to even go through with that. Seeing that
disgusted me even more tbh, like it was almost mocking them for complaining about
shade ranges.” -deco95

“If Tarte’s actual public defense here is ‘People of color were only KINDA an
afterthought! Also, it’s like winter lol.’ You need an ENTIRELY NEW
COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, SWEETIE.” -amazzan

On YouTube, influencers shared their thoughts on the foundation line. Jackie Aina and Alissa
Ashley, two beauty influencers of color posted a video where they reviewed the foundation to
see if they could find a shade that matched their skin tones. This video received more than four
million views.

Figure 1: Influencer reviewing foundation

Tarte responded to the controversy with the following statement on its Instagram story:

“It may be too little too late, but we can assure you this was not meant in any kind of malicious
way. We all just got so caught up in the #shapetapenation and seeing your tweets asking for it ...
We wanted to get the product out as fast as possible, & we made the decision to move forward
before all the shades were ready to go. We know there is no excuse & we take full responsibility
for launching this way. We lost sight of what’s really important in the industry & for those who
feel alienated in our community, we want to personally apologize. We’re doing everything in our
power to bring those unfinished shades to market as fast as we can, at any cost. We CAN & we
WILL do better.”

One challenge that Tarte may face going forward is people accusing them of becoming more
inclusive simply because it is good for the brand, and not because they are becoming socially
aware.

“Rumour has it that a lot of much-beloved beauty brands are now working in overdrive trying to
dramatically increase their own shade range, but just for the record, makeup aficionados of color
always take special notice of those brands that didn’t care to cater to a diverse audience until
they realized they could be highly profitable” (Gairola, 2017, para. 1).

Competitors

Too Faced Cosmetics

One of Tarte’s biggest competitors is Too Faced cosmetics. Too Faced and Tarte share a very
playful and cheerful aesthetic. Too Faced has also had controversy related to inclusivity.
However, recently they have collaborated with Beauty Influencer Jackie Aina, who worked with
the brand to expand its shade range for its foundation, Born This Way.

Milk Makeup

Milk Makeup is a newer competitor of Tarte’s as they have only been around for a few years.
Milk’s aesthetic is very unconventional, minimalistic and diverse. Its audience overlaps with
Tarte’s when it comes to customers wanting healthy ingredients in its makeup, diversity in
advertising and trendy products.

Problem Statement

Diversity and inclusivity are currently demanded in the U.S. beauty industry. Tarte cosmetics is
getting criticized for its lack of inclusivity in its marketing and brand reputation by consumers
and influencers alike after the release of the Double Duty Shape Tape Foundation.
Communications Audit

Tarte Cosmetics uses its social platforms and an email newsletter to communicate with its
customers. Overall, Tarte utilizes these platforms well, but there are some areas of opportunity
where its competitors are outshining them.

Email Newsletter

Tarte offers an option on its website where you can sign up to receive a newsletter about new
products and special offers. The newsletter is very branded (all lowercase letters, playful
messaging) and geared towards a young audience. They use subject lines that are meant to entice
the receiver.

Figure 2: Tarte Email Examples

The above image contains some sample subject lines from its online newsletter. They are trying
to appeal to its audience by personalizing the emails with a subject like “literally made for you.”
This rhetoric and the emoji used cater to a younger audience.

Figure 3: Tarte Email Examples #2

Tarte also uses follow-up emails when someone adds an item to their cart but does not complete
the action of purchasing it. This reminds the email subscriber of the item, and encourages them
to return to Tarte’s website and complete the conversion from potential customer to customer.
This tactic fits into the “consideration” part of the marketing funnel.

Traditional Media

Although Tarte relies heavily on social media and email campaigns for media exposure, they are
also sometimes featured in the news. They have been featured in online magazines like Allure,
PopSugar, BuzzFeed, Glamour and more beauty/ lifestyle magazines. Over the last year, they
received press about reviewing its products, best product roundups and sales they are having.
According to Meltwater, they were mentioned in 152 articles in the last two weeks. Tarte is
mentioned in articles about product roundups, holiday gift guides and new product releases. In
the last six months, they were mentioned in 1,822 articles.

Press Releases
Tarte uses press releases to inform the media about campaigns they are running. For example,
Bliss obtained press releases from the last few months about a campaign Tarte were running to
help end cyber-bullying, how they partnered with (RED) to help raise funds to cure AIDS, and a
press release addressing the controversy over the Tarte Shape Tape Double Duty Foundation.

Twitter

Twitter is one of the most effective methods for Tarte to communicate with its audience. With
over 816,000, followers, Tarte is able to use Twitter to communicate promotions, new products
and other company news. A report by CrowdTangle, a social media analytics tool, shows a
steady growth of Twitter followers in the last 12 months. In all, Tarte experienced a 29.49
percent follower growth.

In the last 12 months, they typically average about 220 Twitter posts per month. Most of its posts
are pictures that are being reposted from their Facebook and Instagram. They also average about
50 videos per month. They receive around 50-100 likes per post.

Figure 4: Twitter example

Figure 5: CrowdTangle Twitter follower summary

Tarte’s Twitter account is primarily used to promote products and launches. Tarte also responds
to its audience through Twitter. When customers have questions or concerns they reply with
information on how to resolve the situation.

Instagram
According to a Moz article, “Instagram is obviously great for sharing pretty photos - and if
you’re a beauty company, well it’s a no-brainer that you should have an active Instagram
account” (Jones, 2018, para 11).

Tarte is very effective when utilizing Instagram. As of Nov. 2018, they have 8.6 million
followers and 8,357 posts. They use the story highlights to emphasize what stories they want
their followers to view. The graph below shows Tarte’s follower count from September of 2017
to September of 2018.
During the months of Jan. and Feb., Tarte’s follower growth was not nearly as rapid as it
normally is. After further analysis, these were the first two months that the controversial Double
Duty Shape Tape Foundation was released.

Figure 6: CrowdTangle Instagram Follower Summary

Tarte’s Instagram feed is a mix of glamorous beauty shots, “relatable” memes, videos of its staff
and influencers, product shots and promotions. After being criticized for a lack of diversity,
Tarte has made more of an effort to be diverse on its Instagram pages.
 Figure 7: Sample Tarte Instagram posts from 9/23-9/24

Tarte averages about seven Instagram posts a day, with each bringing in thousands of likes and
comments. The graph below depicts Tarte’s engagement rate over the last 12 months. The major
spikes are in February and Aug. The Feb. spike is around the time that people were responding to
the controversy over the Double Duty Shape Tape Foundation launch.

Figure 8: CrowdTangle Instagram Interactions

In the above figure, it is clear that Tarte’s Instagram interaction rate experiences severe ups and
downs. With a consistent social media strategy, the interaction rate should increase at a steady
rate.

Tarte also uses Instagram to run social awareness campaigns. In 2017, they ran a campaign
around preventing cyberbullying. They had their staff and influencers post a picture after kissing
their hand with the hashtag #kissandmakeup.
Figure 9: Influencer campaign example

Facebook
Figure 10: CrowdTangle Facebook Posts

Figure 11: CrowdTangle Facebook interaction rates

Tarte’s interaction rate on Facebook is very strong with 141,600 average monthly interactions
and a 0.11 percent interaction rate. Facebook is one of the easiest social platforms for people to
respond to, as they can simply comment, so it can expect a high interaction rate.
Competitor Analysis

Too Faced

Founded in 1998, Too Faced is one of Tarte’s largest competitors in the cosmetics market. Too
Faced is very aesthetically based and focus on the customer’s experience while using the
product. The biggest difference in the two brands is Tarte’s marketing is geared more towards
how natural the brand is while Too Faced is geared toward themed launches. For example, the
brand just launched a Tutti Frutti line with numerous products where everything is colorful and
smells like fruit.

Email Newsletter
Too Faced has an email newsletter where those who are interested can sign up for on its website.
The email newsletter from Too Faced is much less aggressive than Tarte’s newsletter. They send
out information about product launches, sales and other exciting happenings in the company.

Traditional Media
Too Faced has been featured in many of the same outlets that Tarte has been featured in. Due to
the fact that they release new collections so often, there is plenty for beauty and lifestyle
magazines to cover. In the last six months, Too Faced has been mentioned in 501 new articles,
while only 50 in the last two weeks. They are featured in many of the same publications as Tarte
(beauty and fashion magazines).

Press Releases
Too Faced was purchased by Esteé Lauder in 2016. Esteé Lauder has only released one press
released about Too Faced: “Too Faced Global Brand President Talks Travel Retail with the
Moodie Davitt Report.”

Twitter
Figure 12: CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics posts vs. Too Faced Cosmetics Posts

The above graph shows the amount of posts between the two brands. Tarte posted 948 tweets in
total in the last three months while Too Faced only posted 81 times. However, the graph below
shows that the brands’ interaction rates were similar. Both had an average rate of 0.07 percent.
This suggests that Tarte should re-analyze what they are tweeting because they have a bigger
opportunity for more interactions.

Figure 13: CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics Twitter followers vs. Too Faced Cosmetics Followers

Too Faced has 725,100 followers on Twitter while Tarte has 816,300 followers. Tarte should
take advantage of this slight lead over Too Faced and find out how to optimize its tweets (what
hashtags are trending, reaching out to influencers) to get its interaction rate higher and follower
count higher.

Instagram

Similar to Twitter, Tarte’s Instagram and Too Faced’s Instagram metrics are fairly even. Tarte
posted 849 times in the last three months while Too Faced posted 527 times. However, according
to CrowdTangle, Too Faced has an engagement rate of 0.61 percent while Tarte only had an
engagement rate of 0.59 percent. At first glance, this is not a big difference but Tarte had 322
more posts than Too Faced did. This indicates that Tarte should be adjusting its posting strategy
to drive engagement.
Figure 14: CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics Instagram posts vs. Too Faced Cosmetics Instagram posts

Facebook

On Facebook, Tarte has 1.57 million likes while Too Faced has 3.06 million likes. In the graph
below that shows the post count, one can tell that Tarte is more consistent about how frequently
and when they post, while Too Faced posts more randomly. This indicates that Tarte’s Facebook
strategy is working better as they have a 0.10 percent engagement rate while Too Faced only has
a 0.01 percent engagement rate.
Figure 15: CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics Facebook posts vs. Too Faced Cosmetics Facebook posts

Figure 16:CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics Facebook interaction rate vs. Too Faced Cosmetics interaction rate

Milk Makeup

Milk Makeup was established in 2014 and was one of the brands who took advantage of the
trend “cool” and “clean” beauty. They rival Tarte Cosmetics when it comes to trendy makeup
and using quality ingredients. As with Tarte they are also cruelty-free, paraben-free and 100
percent vegan. Milk’s communication through social media is very successful.

Email Newsletter
Milk’s email newsletter is very indicative as to who they are as a brand. In the email newsletter,
they highlight its natural ingredients and how they are 100 percent vegan. They give coupons in
its newsletters and advertise new product launches.

Traditional Media
Milk has received a lot of press in the last two years because they are a newer brand. In addition
to Milk’s natural ingredients, they also use innovative ingredients (The Kush Mascara) and
techniques in its products (stick foundations). The element of something different in the
cosmetics industry generated a lot of media. In the last two weeks, Milk Makeup has been
mentioned in 530 articles. In the last six months, Milk Makeup has been mentioned in 2,158
news articles.

Press Releases
Milk Makeup releases about 3 press releases every few months. Usually the press releases center
around new product launches.

Twitter
The graph below shows that Milk Makeup’s Twitter interaction rate is higher than Tarte’s. It is
important to note that Tarte has a larger audience on Twitter (Tarte: 820,000 followers, Milk:
33,000 followers). However, Milk does a better job at interacting with its audience.
Figure 17: CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics Twitter interaction rate vs. Milk Makeup interaction rate

Instagram
Similar to what was seen with Twitter, Milk has a much smaller audience (788,000) compared to
Tarte (8.5 million). However, in the chart below it shows that Tarte’s interaction rate is 0.55
percent while Milk’s is 3.56 percent.

This could be due to the fact that Milk’s audience is more targeted and is more likely to interact
with more of its posts, while Tarte’s audience is broader and isn’t as likely to interact with every
picture.

Milk’s Instagram feed is full of glamorous product shots and artistic makeup that is appropriate
for its “cool makeup” aesthetic. They also sprinkle in a few posts that are either political or
commenting on social issues. For example, they recently posted the below picture encouraging
its audience to vote. The image also encourages diversity and female empowerment.
Figure 18: CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics Instagram interaction rate vs. Milk Makeup Instagram interaction rate
Figure 19: Milk Makeup Instagram Campaign

Facebook
In the chart below, it is clear that the interaction rate between Milk (0.13 percent) and
Tarte (.10 percent) is very close. Milk still has a higher engagement rate than Tarte, even
though this engagement rate is much lower than the other social channels. Typically,
Facebook has an older demographic, so it would make sense that Milk’s Facebook
audience isn’t as engaged.
Figure 20: CrowdTangle Tarte Cosmetics Facebook interaction rate vs. Milk Makeup Facebook interaction rate

Stakeholder Analysis
Primary Stakeholders

Tarte Cosmetics is funded by Kose who acquired Tarte in 2014. They invested in Tarte because
they want to help them expand their brand. From Kose’s 2018 report, they released that during
this year the company sustained growth for U.S.- based Tarte, Inc., along in-store and e-
commerce marketing channels. Tarte has been able to accomplish massive growth from the
investments made from Kose. In addition to sales at cosmetics specialty stores SEPHORA and
ULTA in North America, Tarte’s sales have grown rapidly through its own e-commerce site.

Customers are also a major stakeholder in Tarte Cosmetics because without them there would be
no business. Tarte attracts customers from social media, through influencers, through major
campaigns, and through word of mouth. Customers keep believing in the company and the vision
of creating “high performance, natural makeup”.

Secondary Stakeholders

Employees are directly affected by how the company does. Each employee works to ensure the
success of the company, and ultimately themselves. Together they will help the company keep
growing and increasing sales.

Influencers have an affect on how Tarte performs because of the public relations packages that
are sent out to very influential people. Influencers need to be chosen carefully because if there is
bad conversation about the products between an influencer and their audience it could negatively
affect the company. Putting forth a positive brand with inclusive products will gain favor of an
influencer.

Audience Analysis

The Tarte Cosmetics brand has become well-established in the minds of its audience and because
of this the number of followers on key social media sites continues to rise, hitting more than
eight million on Instagram. Compared to Facebook (1.5 million followers) and Twitter (816,000
followers), Instagram best reaches the company’s millennial audience.
The audience for Tarte ranges from ages 16-50, which includes Gen Z, millennials and Gen X.
Gen Z audiences are ages 16 to 21, millennials are ages 22 to 37 and Gen X are ages 38-50,
according to Facebook Insights.

Millennials ages 22-37 will be Tarte Cosmetics’ main target audience for the proposed
campaign. Millennials are the most financially stable compare to Gen Z plus the most
knowledgeable in the beauty community. Since the purpose of this campaign is to promote
Tarte’s inclusivity with their new shade range for their Shape Tape Foundation, this is the best
group to target because of their passion for inclusivity within the beauty community.

Statista conducted a survey that indicated the share of women in the United States that know or
recognize Tarte as of May 2017 represented by ethnicity. It determined that 43 percent of people
that recognize Tarte as a brand are Hispanic American or Latino women. Only 28 percent of
white/Caucasian women know about Tarte as a brand. The percentage of black or African
American women that know about Tarte is 26 percent and percentage of Asian women is 23
percent. Since women with different ethnicities play a vital role in recognizing Tarte, the
company must have a better focus on them and a more appealing shade range to fit them.

The campaign will also target Gen Z (ages 16-21) because it is a younger audience and more
curious to know about beauty products. This generation also consists of high school and college
students who are looking for inclusivity in many aspects of their lives and are more likely to like
a brand that has every shade range option for them and their peers.

TARGET AUDIENCE 1: Gen Z

Gen Z (ages 16-21) is the newest working generation that brings new worldviews and different
expectations as a customer. This generation should be targeted specifically by social media
because this is where they will get their information about the products.

According to The Center for Generational Kinetics, this group is already the most influential
group of technology trendsetters and they offer the best preview of future trends such as
technology usage, communication, banking, and shopping patterns. Gen Z brings the biggest
challenges for companies because of their technology use. Gen Z's self-worth is affected by
social media more than any other generation. A stunning 42 percent of Gen Z feels that social
media has a direct impact on how they feel about themselves, according to CGK. This means that
Tarte needs to focus on the feelings Gen Z receives when they look at Tarte’s profiles and how
they feel wearing the product.

Persona #1

Figure 21: Audience Persona 1

TARGET AUDIENCE 2: Millennials

Millennials (ages 22-37) tend to be very optimistic and diverse. Research indicates that
generation is more caring, community oriented, and politically engaged than previous
generations. This generation masters self-expression, with 75 percent creating a profile on a
social networking site, according to the U.S. Chamber of Congress Foundation’s study on
millennials.

There is also a trend toward personal branding, which, on its surface, appears self-promoting.
Millennials are looking to identify their passions and determine their own path, rather than
having others set a path for them.

Many of this group are highly concerned with the increase of racism and how it should be
controlled and fixed within the beauty community. According to a Pew Research Center, 58
percent of Americans say racism is a “big problem in our society,” while 29 percent say it is
“somewhat of a problem.” Just 12 percent say racism in the U.S. is a small problem or not a
problem. This relates to how millennials feel about the lack of diverse foundation shades that
have been produced in many companies.

Since the campaign is designed to promote Tarte’s inclusivity with their new shade range for
their Shape-tape Foundation, the primary focus will be on millennials because of their strong
voice for wanting to educate people on why there should be more diverse shade ranges. The
makeup world is in a very different place in 2018 than it was just a year ago, thanks to the
inclusive range of shades in Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty line, which has spurred a wider range of
offerings from other cosmetic companies.

Millennials are engaged in with the issue of diversity and are wanting more cosmetics brands to
be inclusive to all ethnicities and to create a more color shades for everyone to be able to use.

Persona #2
Figure 22: Persona #2

Primary Research
To gather our primary research, Bliss utilized SurveyMonkey to create a nine-question survey
about Tarte Cosmetics. The survey was live from Oct. 30 to Nov. 5. It was posted on Facebook
by members of Bliss Agency into a Facebook page that includes 15,000 ASU students.
Additionally, it was posted on Bliss Agency’s Facebook pages. The survey received 54
responses, and our findings are demonstrated below. The demographics of participants are as
follows:

Age:
19-24: 38 people
25-34: 4 people
35-45: 4 people
46+: 8 people

Gender:
All female participants

Ethnicity:
White or Caucasian: 47
Black or African American: 1
Hispanic or Latino: 3
Asian or Asian American: 2
American Indian or Alaskan Native: 1

The vast majority of participants were between the ages of 19-24 and are white or Caucasian.
Many opinions may not be represented by this survey due to the limited demographics. This
factor is an essential factor to remember as the results of the study are reviewed.

Figure 23: SurveyMonkey graph #1

From the above graph, it can be deduced that a majority (66.67 percent) of participants take into
account a cosmetic brand’s values before purchasing. This finding aligns with our secondary
research that younger people are leaning towards brands who make its values a center point of its
campaigns. The majority (70.37 percent) of people who took this quiz were between the ages of
19-24.

Figure 24: SurveyMonkey Graphic #2

Most participants agreed or strongly agreed that cosmetic companies should wait until they have
a full shade range to release a foundation or concealer. After looking into the individual surveys,
every person who was not white or Caucasian chose either agree or strongly agree, while
everyone that said disagree or neutral was white.
Figure 25: Survey Monkey Graph #2

Overall, Tarte received a relatively good percentage of approval of diversity in its messaging and
marketing.

Figure 26: Survey Monkey Graph #3

This question received answers that varied relatively evenly. A majority of people agreed or
strongly agreed that they paid attention to ingredients in their makeup products. This finding is
good evidence that Tarte should continue emphasizing its natural ingredients in its marketing
strategies.
Secondary Research

The secondary research conducted focuses on what messaging is best for Tarte’s target audience:
Generation Z and millennials. These two generations look at marketing in a different way than
previous generations. In an article by Lucy Handley discussing the marketing wants of
Generation Z, she explains what they expect from corporations. One participant in the the survey
from the article said, “Nobody’s going to buy a product from a corporation who you know is just
out for the money, unless you see them doing good stuff,” (Handley, para. 5). In her article, she
talks about how Generation Z wants more from brands than just products.

Something else that Bliss wants to implement is an Instagram experience. In a study that looked
at how people are changing the way they consume art, they found that implementing an element
that encouraged people to use Instagram increased attendance substantially (BBC, 2018). An
example of this is the Museum of Ice Cream in San Francisco that encourages photography and
posting on social media. The museum tickets sell out in as little as 18 minutes (BBC, 2018).

If the event that is proposed for Tarte to hold incorporates “instagrammable” elements, people
will be much more willing to attend and to post it on their Instagram. This will give the event
more traction and publicity. This would contribute to Tarte’s overall goal of creating a more
inclusive brand image.

SWOT Analysis
The following is a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses opportunities, threats) of Tarte Cosmetics. This
analysis will give us insights into how and where Tarte is succeeding and areas where it could
use some assistance in its communication strategies.

Strengths:
● Able to reach customers who only use
natural products
● Large social media following
● On-trend products keep them relevant
on social media
● Collaborations with influencers
Weaknesses
● Poor representation of diversity in
messaging
● Price point is higher than average.
● Weak crisis communication

Opportunities
● Large influencer network (increase
collaboration)
● Campaign dedicated to inclusivity
● Increase diversity on social media
● Increase transparency in messaging
Threats
● Social corp. responsibility vs. profit
● Brands who are both natural &
inclusive
● Brands that are natural and
inexpensive
● Accessibility to products

Strengths:
Able to reach customers who only use natural products: In an article by Forbes, Richard
Kestenbaum said the younger generation is demanding more natural products that are locally
made (Kestenbaum, 2018). Tarte uses ingredients such as acai berries, maracuja oil, amazonian
clay and more natural ingredients.

Large social media following: Tarte has 8.5 million followers on Instagram, 819.3 thousand
followers on Twitter and 1.5 million likes on Facebook. This large following provides a great
platform for Tarte to interact with its audience.

On-trend products: Tarte is constantly releasing new products to cater to what is trending at the
time. For example, in 2017 Tarte released an entire line dedicated to festival makeup because
there were several music festivals coming up.

Collaborations with influencers: Tarte collaborates with influencers in a few different ways.
They send the influencers PR boxes with new products in them. They also collaborate for
product launches.

Weaknesses:
Poor representation of diversity in messaging: Tarte’s lack of a diversity in its messaging on
social media is a huge weakness for the brand. Now that Rihanna has set the standard for a large
shade range with her brand, Fenty Beauty, consumers are less likely to support a brand who does
not support inclusivity in its products and messaging.

Price: The price of Tarte’s products are somewhat of a weakness. Although they are not as
expensive as some luxury brands they are still more expensive than drugstore brands. When a
potential customer looks at a the high price, they could think of the price as a roadblock to
buying the product.

Weak crisis communication: Tarte responded to the controversy over the foundation via its
Instagram stories. They apologized for the controversy and assured its audience it was not meant
in any malicious way and that ten more shades were coming soon. This tactic was the extent of
its crisis communication.

Opportunities
Network with influencers: Influencers are one of the biggest money making factors in the
industry today. By collaborating with influencers from all backgrounds, they can showcase
dedication to inclusivity.

Inclusivity campaign: Most of Tarte’s campaigns have been focused on helping the environment
or anti-bullying. If Tarte launched a huge campaign dedicated to inclusiveness, this could be an
opportunity to show its audience that diversity and inclusivity is part of Tarte’s culture.

Increase diversity in messaging: Men and people of color are very under-represented on Tarte’s
social media channels. By increasing diversity on social media and in all messaging, in both
gender and culture, Tarte could showcase how they embrace all cultures.

Increase transparency in messaging: One way to win the public’s trust over is to increase the
company’s transparency. For example, Tarte could invite an influencer to its factories to see
production as well as meet the CEO and let the influencer ask their own questions.

Threats:
Corporate social responsibility vs. profits: Many brands are being criticized for expanding their
shade range and becoming more “inclusive” because it is profitable. Tarte must expand its shade
range to become more inclusive and to do so with an authentic voice that speaks to the
company’s values rather than the desire to increase profits. .

Brands who are less expensive but are inclusive and all-natural: Brands from the drugstore who
are natural (ex. Almay and Neutrogena) and brands who are embracing inclusivity (Wet N Wild
and Maybelline) are threats to Tarte because they are less expensive.

Accessibility: Although Tarte is sold as Ulta and Sephora, some items are exclusively sold at
Sephora and some are only available at Ulta. This makes buying products hard for some people
who do not live close to an Ulta or Sephora, but want that particular product.
SPEC Analysis

This SPEC analysis looks at some of the outside factors that may impact the way Tarte
Cosmetics communicates with the public.
Social/Society: Political:
● Age 16- 50 ● Need to maintain good relationship
● Majority female with PETA and other animal rights
● Diversified brand groups
● Variety of product shades appeals to ● FDA approved
wide demographic ● Kose is not cruelty free

Economics: Culture:
● Eco-friendly
● Pricing is moderate for makeup ● Cruelty-free products
● Privately funded ● Vegan products
● Products sold in Ulta and in Sephora ● Used by many makeup influencers
● Uses social media to drive sales on ● Company supports cooperatives in the
website Rainforest

Social/Society:
Tarte Cosmetics interacts with many people, mainly females that range between the ages of 16-
50. This young company attracts a wide variety of ethnicities because of its wide-range of
makeup foundation shades. Even though its trademarked Shape Tape Foundation had a difficult
launch with not enough shades, the company seeks to relaunch the product to be more inclusive
to all ethnicities.

Political:
As for political relationships Tarte needs to maintain good relationships with People for Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA) and other animal rights organizations to maintain its reputation
for being cruelty free. The products also needs to meet FDA standards. There is controversy that
the company Kose, which owns Tarte, is not cruelty free. There are issues about whether this
makes Tarte cruelty free or not even though they claim to be cruelty free, according to an article
from Cruelty Free Kitty.

Economics:
Tarte’s products are moderately priced when compared to luxury products, but still more
expensive than a drugstore brand. Since they use unique ingredients, it makes the cost of the
makeup higher. Tarte is also privately funded, mainly by Kosé Corporation, a Japanese
multinational personal care company. Their products are sold in two major cosmetic stores, Ulta
and Sephora. Also Tarte’s sales are contributed from the social media posts that are constantly
being linked to the main website.
Culture:
Tarte is known for its Amazonian Clay which the CEO found in the Amazon Rainforest. The
products are also cruelty-free which means they are not tested on animals and also the makeup is
vegan. The products are meant to be all natural and healthy for anyone’s skin. Influencers
discuss the products on YouTube and social media frequently.
Theoretical Underpinnings

As Tarte prepares to revamp its communication strategies and strives to become known for its
inclusivity, there are a few different theories that Tarte could implement.

Two-Way Symmetrical Model of Communication:

The Two-Way Symmetrical Model of Communication was theorized by James Grunig. It is
defined as “when one person is the sender and they transmit a message to another person, who is
the receiver. When the receiver gets the message they send back a response, acknowledging the
message was received,”(Grunig, 2001). This theory would be extremely useful when crafting a
crisis communications strategy.

When Tarte responded to its audience about the Shape Tape Double Duty Foundation, it did so
through its Instagram stories. What Tarte could have done is opened up a conversation with its
audience about how it can do better. If Tarte utilizes the Two-way Symmetrical Model of
Communication, it will have a better idea of what they’re audience is actually feeling.

In an article by Byrdie, Emily Algar said, “Digital, and more importantly social platforms, are
basically public discussion threads where feedback (albeit good or bad) is hand-delivered straight
to beauty brands” (Algar, para.5). This is a perfect example of the Two-Way Symmetrical Model
in practice.

Sociocultural Evolutionary Theory

The Sociocultural Evolutionary Theory considers how humans have evolved culturally and
socially. Tarte needs to keep this theory in mind when creating its campaigns.

For example, in the same article mentioned above Algar discusses how brands that have changed
its marketing to match the social evolution of millennials are doing better than its competitors.
“U.S. brand Milk Makeup is another golden example. It’s gender neutral ad campaigns have
been so well received by its millennial audience, and the company has skyrocketed since”
(Algar, para. 10).

In previous generations, consumers have not been as aware of the values and ethical practices of
the brands they purchase from. Nowadays, when brands make a mistake or remain silent on an
important issue, its audience takes notice.

If Tarte implements the Sociocultural Evolutionary theory in its messaging, it will have a better
grasp on what its audience needs from them. The #ShowUsYourShade campaign gives Tarte an
opportunity to show its audience Tarte is aware of the the cultural environment.

Goal and Objectives

Goal: To increase positive sentiment about Tarte’s inclusivity and diversity on social
media platforms by March of 2019.

Objective #1: Get 500 positive mentions on social media platforms about the
expansion of its shade range of concealers and foundations by March of 2019.

Strategy: Host an event at the Tarte Headquarters for selected influencers

to attend and mix their own foundation shade to include voices from
outside of the company to be included in the production of the shade range.

Tactic #1: Invite a select group of influencers who promote and

diversity on their social channels to come to the Tarte factory.

Tactic #2: Fly group of influencers to Tarte headquarters and put

them up in a hotel.

Tactic #3: On event day, have influencers to bring cameras and

phones behind the scenes to take pictures and document the
experience on their social media using the hashtag
#ShowUsYourShadeMatch. Tarte will also hire a videographer to
document the experience to be used for marketing collateral.

Tactic #4: Host a live Instagram feed at the event where Tarte
interviews influencers about the importance of inclusivity in
makeup.

Objective #2: Increase representation of all genders and races on Instagram by

posting at least 40 pictures depicting diversity per month by March.

Strategy: Hold a social media campaign/contest around diversity.

The campaign will include re-posting content Tarte’s followers post
with the #ShowUsYourShadeMatch hashtag.

Tactic #1: Tarte will post footage from the event with the
influencers. These posts will encourage their followers to post
a picture of themselves with their shade match of the
foundation. Followers who participate in social media contest
will be entered to win a trip to Hawaii.

Tactic #2: Look through the hashtag

#ShadeUsYourShadeMatch and re-post Tarte’s followers.
Big Idea/ Campaign Theme: #ShowUsYourShadeMatch

Tarte wants to show its audience that it is dedicated to diversity and inclusivity. Additionally, it
wants to show its audience that it is not simply doing it for profitable reasons.

The #ShowUsYourShadeMatch campaign will be a social corporate responsibility campaign.

The campaign is an effort to show Tarte’s audience that Tarte is dedicated to expanding its shade
range and becoming one of the frontrunners for inclusivity in makeup. The campaign will
happen one year after the Double-Duty Shape Tape Foundation launched. This gap year will
show that Tarte had enough time to fully understand the scope of inclusivity.

The #ShowUsYourShadeMatch campaign will take place on Instagram. After posting marketing
collateral from the event on Instagram, Tarte and the influencers from the event will post images
with the hashtag, #ShowUsYourShadeMatch. The posts will encourage their followers to post a
picture matching their shade to their skin and using the hashtag. Then, Tarte will look through
the hashtag and re-post their followers.

Tangible Representation: Below is an example of how Bliss would hope to see Tarte’s followers
participating. They are participating in the campaign while also promoting it.

Figure 27: Tarte Campaign Instagram examp

Messaging/Storytelling

Tarte Campaign Positioning Statement: Our company vision is and has always been to be the
leading brand in innovation and inclusivity. We want this vision to shine through in our products
and company culture. As an important brand in this industry, we understand the mistake we’ve
made and we are rededicating ourselves to inclusivity and diversity.

Message Focus: We messed up.

Last spring, Tarte Cosmetics launched the Shape Tape Double Duty Foundation. We released the
line before the shades were finished, leaving much to be desired from the shade range.
● We should have handled the situation better than we did.
● We now take full responsibility for this mistake.

Message Focus: Here’s how we’re going to make ourselves better

We are taking a series of steps to better ourselves as a brand and create a better cultural
awareness throughout the company.
● We will never release a shade range until it has enough shades for everyone to find a
match.
● We are focusing on diversity in our messaging going forward.

Message Focus: How we’re committed to moving forward

Going forward, Tarte will consistently strive to be one of the most inclusive beauty brands in the
industry.
● We’ve always strived for innovation and it is impossible to have innovation without
inclusivity.
● We will make sure our foundation and concealers are both innovative in ingredients and
in shade range.
Budget