Glossier: a

case study in
neoliberalism
HOW NEOLIBERAL LOGIC

MANIFESTS IN THE BRAND

IDENTITY OF A CULT

BEAUTY GIANT
 Glossier.
Makeup and skincare brand
established by Emily Weiss
in 2014
Amassed a cult following on
Instagram; 1.9m followers
and valued at $1.2 billion
Unconventional approach to
digital marketing and
distinct brand identity
(Wischhover, 2019)
 The Glossier
brand identity
'No-makeup makeup look'
Minimalist design and
aesthetics that appeal to
millennials
Unconventional methods in
influencer marketing
Bringing the spotlight back
to the individual customer
 We believe in efficacious
formulas, thoughtful design,
and enabling conversation
(which is where it all starts). We
don’t believe beauty is made in a
boardroom — it happens when
you get involved.
GLOSSIER
How does neoliberal
logic manifest in the
brand identity of
Glossier?
Methodology
Social semiotics approach →
analysis of text and visuals
Glossier website and
Instagram page
Investigate how meaning is
created in these semiotic
resources
How these meanings
illustrate neoliberalism-in-
action
Some examples
 So what's
neoliberal
about this?
The commodification of
authenticity
Emphasis on the personal
touch and narratives of hyper-
individualism
Strategies to maintain
competitive advantage in an
over-saturated beauty
industry
Neoliberal feminism?
Glossier's neoliberal feminism
Socially-conscious products and marketing (vegan/cruelty-
free, racial diversity)
Emily Weiss herself as the embodiment of the career-
driven female entrepreneur (Starkey, 2018)
Empowering the working woman to be her 'best' self who
can have it all without compromising her economic and
cultural capital
 Glossier and the
politics of neoliberal
feminism
"Disavowing the oppressive
socioeconomic and cultural
structures shaping the lives of the
majority of women...this feminist
subject accepts full responsibility
for her own well-being and self-
care, which is predicated on
crafting a felicitous work-family
balance." (Rottenberg, 2018)
Commodity feminism for the
purpose of profit, and ultimately
capitalism
 References
1. Dowsett, J. E. (2014). Feminism for Sale: Commodity Feminism, Femininity,
and Subjectivity (Doctoral dissertation, University of York) [Abstract].
Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10315/34229

2. . Rottenberg, C. (2018-10-25).  (Ed.), The Rise of Neoliberal Feminism. :

Oxford University Press,. Retrieved 31 Mar. 2019, from
http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/oso/9780190901226.001.00
01/oso-9780190901226.

3. Starkey, D. (2018, February 26). #BossBabes: Exploring the Intersections

Between Capitalism and Contemporary Feminism: A Rhetorical Analysis of
the Online Persona of Emily Weiss, CEO of Glossier Cosmetics [Scholarly
project]. In Danielle Starkey. Retrieved April 1, 2019, from
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/572b7c8207eaa0f14bb20837/t/5a9469a
e4192028c2cee6999/1519675826049/Starkey-RhetoricalAnalysisFinal.pdf

4. Wischhover, C. (2019, March 04). Instagram changed makeup. Glossier is

proof. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/the-
goods/2019/3/4/18249886/glossier-play-emily-weiss-makeup
Thank you!