How Trinny London's New CMO Is Revolutionizing Beauty Brand Storytelling for Global Growth

Trinny London Appoints New Chief Marketing Officer

Trinny London has quietly appointed Michelle Marks, a former global director of digital brands at Charlotte Tilbury, as its new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). She joined in June with a focus on refining storytelling efforts and increasing brand awareness as the UK-based beauty label expands into the US market. Marks succeeds Shira Feuer, who departed last year and later joined Beauty Pie as CMO.

Emphasizing Brand-First and Emotive Storytelling

Founder and CEO Trinny Woodall emphasized that Marks brings a brand-first approach, crucial for deepening consumer connections. "She is in the head of our consumer, and she's brand first. We've never actually had somebody who's brand first," Woodall stated. Marks understands that purchasing decisions are driven by emotive feelings, which is key to building a loyal follower base.

Upcoming Campaigns Focused on Personalization

In September, Trinny London will launch a series of campaigns centered around its popular online tool, Match2Me. This tool assesses users' skin types and creates custom beauty routines. The ads will feature women over 30, the brand's core demographic, showcasing the benefits of the service in various settings to enhance relatability and engagement.

Strong Financial Performance and Expansion Efforts

Supported by ongoing retail expansion, Trinny London's sales surged 25% year-over-year to $94 million in fiscal 2024, ending in March. The brand's prestige products, such as a $52 matte-finish foundation and a $92 peptide serum, are sold via e-commerce and department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Fenwick. Recent physical expansions include a flagship store on London's Kings Road and pop-ups in New York's SoHo and an upcoming six-month pop-up in Boston, targeting key US markets.

Self-Funded Growth and Strategic Focus

Despite reports of seeking funding for US expansion, Woodall clarified that the brand is profitable on an EBITDA basis and can self-fund initiatives. For instance, the Boston pop-up costs only $45,000 to open. Woodall stressed the importance of staying true to the brand's identity: "We should stay in our own lane in terms of what we want to develop as products, where we think we're heading, and what our identity is."