New trends in fashion and cosmetics don’t necessarily announce themselves with headlines and brass brands. They may start with signals on social media that are easy to miss, such as a scene from a popular TV show sparking a growing number of comments, or a blog by a popular social media influencer going viral.
By the time they blow up into the latest rage, all the brands selling related products know about it, and no single competitor can get an edge. Now, global cosmetics manufacturer L’Oréal S.A. (No. 19 in the Digital Commerce 360 Europe 500) is aiming to spot trends faster than its rivals so it can quickly respond to consumer preferences.
An example of a trend that emerged unexpectedly a few years ago was interest in calendula oil among cosmetics shoppers, says Charles Besson, global social insights and AI director at L’Oréal Group. Marketers at Kiehl’s, a facial cream brand owned by L’Oréal, did spot this trend quickly through its normal monitoring of online conversations. But if all the company’s brands had been aware of it “it would have been a major added value,” Besson says.
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