At first glance, food and beauty products seem like an unlikely match to create buzz-worthy merchandise. But by being able to combine two popular interests of Chinese Gen Z consumers not only has the possibility to bring like-minded people together, but also continues to push the creative envelope for those looking to keep this lucrative consumer base engaged.
Not to mention that both food and beauty are trendy content pillars on social media. A fun crossover product tryout post could easily drive internet buzz for young influencers. And now, as brands look to expand their reach with Chinese Gen Zers, these types of cross-brand pollination will continue to grow, and the food, fashion, and beauty industries are posed to spearhead it.
Here, Jing Daily has selected five successful beauty and food collaborations that have attracted China’s Gen Zers, as well as gave both parties an increased branding boost. They are:
Fenty Beauty x HEYTEA#
On April 29, Fenty Beauty announced a collaboration with the buzzy bubble tea brand HEYTEA to promote Fenty Beauty's new Cheeks Out cream blush collection. The collaboration is the latest in a string of beauty and bubble tea partnerships in Asia aimed at winning over young consumers, which have kicked back into gear now that shops in China have reopened. Fenty and HEYTEA released a limited-edition makeup bag that comes with a coupon for a free HEYTEA Cheese and Peach drink, which relaunched, as well as a limited-edition co-branded Fenty boxed set. So far, the campaign hashtag on the Chinese social media platform Weibo has received over 14 million views and over 30,000 comments. Other beauty brands that have collaborated with HEYTEA include Clarins, L'Oréal, and Clinique, as well as Chinese-native beauty brands Pechoin and Marie Dalgar.
Perfect Diary x Oreo#
Oreo, the world-famous black and white cookie company, collaborated with the Chinese beauty brand, Perfect Diary, producing two cushion compacts sporting the classic cookie print. Each set comes with two limited, seasonal Oreo flavors, namely Matcha Sakura and White Peach Oolong, and sold out the first day on JD.com. Oreo’s collaboration with Perfect Diary comes on the heels of their successful Supreme x Oreo red cookie edition. The red Oreos hit Supreme's online store for $3 a pack and sold out almost instantly. According to Fox News, packs of these fashionable Oreos began popping up on eBay for hundreds — and sometimes thousands — of dollars.
Etude House x Kit Kat#
Etude House is a South Korean beauty brand that has been around since the mid-80s, bringing beauty lovers a slew of creative and playful products for decades. And this candy-inspired collaboration keeps the label on-track with that reputation. The collection in question is called the Play Color Eyes KitKat line, and it offers up two sets, each packed with six “crispy and sweet colors.” This collaboration saw the creation of two KitKat-inspired eyeshadow palettes, featuring “Original” and “Strawberry Tiramisu.” The tiny shadow palette attracted the attention of young consumers with its photogenic look and affordable price tag.
Innisfree x Mentos#
Korean cosmetics brand Innisfree has introduced a special edition beauty powder in collaboration with the mint candy brand Mentos. The product, a 5-gram translucent powder called No Sebum Mineral Powder Mentos, is packed in a colorful round case that resembles candy packaging and is available in six colors that are in line with the candy flavors. Similar with the beauty brand's popular No Sebum Mineral Powder, the Mentos version can absorb sebum and control excessive oil on the face.
Face Shop x Coca Cola#
Coca-Cola has had a long history of collaborations with streetwear brands such as Hypebeast, KITH, A Bathing Ape, and more. This time around, the beverage manufacturer has made a bold move to collaborate with The Face Shop, a South Korean makeup brand, for its first makeup collection. This collaboration includes the air-cushion foundation, oil clear blotting powder, eyeshadow, lipstick, and lip gloss. These products have distinct Coca-Cola marks all over them with its distinct red packaging, and even its glittery eyeshadow reminds consumers of the cold and fizzy beverage. It was marketed as one of the signature brand collaborations at Tmall's yearly "Super CP Day" (超级CP日) promotion.