In the last few months, the legacy beauty brand Mario Badescu has brought itself back into the spotlight by pushing new products on social media and through influencer marketing. As a result, it made Tribe Dynamics’ top 10 roundup of skin-care brands with the most earned media value for the month of February — its first time on the list.
For the month, the brand increased its earned media value by 244 percent over last year, for a total of $2.4 million. The bulk of this traction came from Instagram ($1.4 million) and YouTube ($636,000), followed by Twitter and Facebook.
At the center of the conversation is the brand’s newest facial spray, a spin on the cult-favorite versions that have been key to the brand since it began in 1967. In December, it debuted a new version (aloe, herbs and lavender) for the first time in years, exclusively at Ulta — a savvy tactic, given that retailer’s current popularity.
Mario Badescu’s newest facial spray
With its botanically based positioning and minimalist packaging, Badescu’s entire product line is already well-placed in today’s market, where those factors are coveted. But its facial spray is especially convenient given the K-beauty-fueled rise of “misting” and its subsequent appeal on social media. (Allure editor-in-chief Michelle Lee, for instance, has a recurring “misting” series on her Instagram Stories.)
“This is a brand that is both very Instagrammable and wallet-friendly,” said Victoria Hoff, the wellness editor at Byrdie, alluding to the $7-$12 price point for its facial sprays. “The aesthetic lends itself really well to that #TopShelfie shot, but you also know you’re getting a decent product for minimal cost.” Its simplistic branding, in particular, she added, is very resonant right now.
But it hasn’t succeeded on looks or value alone.
According to Tribe’s report, all three versions of the facial spray drew significant praise from influencers and were featured frequently in their content, as well. Of the 473 influencers who mentioned the brand during the month of February, nearly half (217) were discussing one of the sprays, accounting for $1.5 million of the brand’s total earned media value for the month. The biggest boost ($297,000) came from the mega-influencer and beauty brand founder Jeffree Starr, who mentioned the new lavender spray in two of his videos on YouTube, where he has 6.5 million subscribers.
Although Mario Badescu could not be reached for comment, it’s likely these placements were the result of a big gifting push by the brand.
