COURTESY ULTA BEAUTY
ADWEEK 9
®
|^ AUGUST 26, 2019How are you taking media
marketing to the next level for
Ulta? I’m really excited about our
partnership with Essence magazine
(which is a first of its kind for both
Ulta and Essence) and their new
Girls United initiative that mentors
young girls in developing their
academic potential, love of self and
leadership skills. We selected six
girls ages 16-19 from across the
country to participate in a once-in-a-
lifetime mentorship program. In this
program, they had the opportunity to
learn from Ulta Beauty and Essence
senior leaders; provide valuable
consumer insight to our marketing
and merchandising teams; and
ultimately create their own makeup
collection in collaboration with
the Ulta Beauty Collection (to be
sold in stores nationwide). For their
involvement, they were awarded
$10,000 to use toward college. We
captured their journey as a video
series, article content and for social
media engagement, ultimatelydriving toward the exclusive
launch of the product line.Beyond engagement, what
does success look like for this
program? The longer-term goal of
this initiative is about authentically
connecting with the African-American audience. We wanted
to build a meaningful relationship
with these amazing women to
deepen our understanding of the
beauty community, learn from their
experiences and show them that
Ulta Beauty values their unique point
of view.What’s currently happening in
marketing that most excites
you? I get excited when I see brands
willing to stand for something
relevant and meaningful in the
marketplace, even if it’s not
universally accepted. Consumers are
demanding more from their brands.
They see them as organizations
that can use their size, influence
and platforms to drive real change.
When I see brands heed that call, I
applaud their actions. It can be risky,
and there are brands that haven’t
exactly gotten it right, but I think
that’s an opportunity for authenticity
and transparency. Trying things
and acknowledging the [lessons
learned] along the way is still a
valid way to grow your connection
with consumers. Brand marketing
should be about more than providing
products and services—it should be
about changing our culture.What do you see as the next
frontier for marketers?
Personalization. Our guests crave
a deep, emotional connection with
our brand, and we are working
hard to leverage new tools in AI
and AR to truly personalize our
communication with our guests.
I believe we are on the verge of a
shift in how consumers react to the
juggernaut of influencer marketing.
I think we will start to see a shift to
more peer-to-peer communication
grounded in a desire for a greater
sense of community with people
that are a part of their existing social
networks.What’s the biggest lesson you’ve
learned in your career that
has stuck with you? To not shy
away from bringing my voice to
the table. I’ve realized that I often
have a unique perspective. Being an
African-American woman in beauty
provides a rare chance to amplify
a voice that can seem muted, and I
take that very seriously. While I don’t
assume I have all the answers for all
black women, I’ve embraced the fact
that even one different viewpoint can
help change mindsets, make better
decisions and provide insight that
builds empathy.‘Brand marketing
should be about more
than providing products
and services—it should
be about changing
our culture.’
INSIDE THE BRAND
Ulta Beauty selected six girls
ages 16 to 19 from across the
country to participate in a once-
in-a-lifetime mentorship program.
The mentees created a capsule
makeup collection in collaboration
with Ulta Beauty.KARLA DAVIS
SENIOR DIRECTOR, INTEGRATED
MARKETING AND MEDIA
ULTA BEAUTY
By Heide Palermo
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