Elysha manages the Asia Pacific Mintel Trends team made up of expert analysts and trend spotters. She currently oversees content for Mintel Trends as well as client servicing for the region.
Skincare brand Avène has partnered with activist and athlete Turia Pitt in Australia, drawing on her inspirational life story to demonstrate the products’ effectiveness for those with sensitive skin.
Turia Pitt is an ultramarathon runner who was caught in a grass fire while competing in Western Australia’s Kimberly region and suffered burns to 65% of her body. After recovering from her life-threatening injuries, she has gone on to become a sought-after public speaker and ambassador. Avène is regarded as one of the best skincare brands in the market for people with sensitive skin and those suffering with atopic conditions such as eczema, and is recommended by dermatologists. Its sunscreen range offers high SPF protection across the broad spectrum of UV rays for the most sensitive skin types. The brand’s alignment with Pitt for the campaign highlights the benefits of the range by demonstrating that strength and sensitivity can go hand in hand.
Why it matters
Activists are increasingly being tapped by brands for their influence and authentic appeal. Alignment with influencers who reflect the values of a brand in an inspirational way is an effective way to strengthen brand credibility and trust. Turia Pitt is the perfect choice for this campaign, as someone who is well known for both the sensitive condition of her skin and her personal strength and integrity. In this way, the campaign is much more effective than picking a regular model, as she’s not only more relatable to the average consumer, but the severity of her condition lends the product an air of efficacy – if it’s okay for Turia Pitt, it should be okay for the average consumer’s eczema.
What’s next
Consumers are moving away from following hyper-stylised, unattainable influencers and are beginning to look for more authentic connections. Passion-led content creators who influence as a by-product of their broader profile will be the way forward for brands looking to connect with audiences in an authentic way. In particular, politically-minded Gen-Zers will increasingly look towards activists as influencers.