Project Overview
The transformational power of Blithe Cosmetics’ Korean skincare has resulted in carefully crafted products that are more than just beauty routines; they’re an invitation to self-care and well-being. With Blithe, users can discover the secret to radiant and confident skin through innovative formulations that deliver both results and relaxation. At Blithe Cosmetics, beauty meets mindfulness as part of their mission to take users on a journey that nurtures their skin, boosts their self-confidence, and strengthens their mind-body connection.
Founded by Andrew Cho, a visionary with a penchant for efficiency and value maximization, Andrew’s journey with Blithe began during his Samsung’s Corporate HQ, where he played pivotal roles in enhancing the conglomerate’s operational efficiency, especially during the IMF crisis, where he was instrumental in the sale of Samsung’s real estate assets. His experiences helped shape his perspective on value creation, leading him to pivot from being a cost minimizer to a value maximizer, ultimately leading him to launch the Blithe Cosmetics brand in 2015.
Today, Blithe Cosmetics is a leading skincare brand in the US for customers who are unwilling to compromise on price or quality. Its urban branding initiative has helped secure its place in the US market as the go-to solution for modern women seeking rejuvenated skin and elevated confidence despite the stress of busy urban living.
The Problem
Several years after its founding, Blithe Cosmetics had been able to establish itself as leading skincare brand within the South Korean and European UK markets — particularly in France and the UK. Having experienced a rapid climb to success in these regions, Blithe set its sights on the US market to create a media presence for its line of Korean skincare products that were already widely accepted elsewhere.
However, Blithe knew it would need an extra hand to establish itself as an industry leader in the American skincare market. Due to more stringent regulations, some of its products were unable to meet FDA standards. Thus, the company realized that it wouldn’t be possible to market its entire product line to American consumers.
Although the company had used PR in the past, it required a fresh team to secure robust media coverage in reputable publications. This would require it to partner with a team like Otter PR, which has established numerous valuable relationships with media contacts operating in the skincare and beauty industry within the US.
The Strategy
To position Blithe as a leading brand in the skincare industry, our team’s comprehensive, multi-pronged approach to Blithe’s PR strategy first required us to heavily lean into the already-stellar reputation Korean Skincare had created throughout the past decade. By focusing on “innovation, efficiency, and unwavering quality” of Korean skincare brands like Blithe, our team was able to generate content about how Blithe’s products exemplify these foundational components of Korean skincare. At the same time, it provided us with opportunities to show how Blithe’s continuous drive for innovation — led largely by founder Andrew Cho’s commitment to maximizing customer satisfaction and value — advocates for affordable skincare products that refuse to compromise on quality.
The next part of our strategy involved highlighting Blithe’s cost-effectiveness and use of “clean” ingredients compared to other brands available on the market, which required us to utiltize Blithe’s urban branding and sustainability efforts. As part of its mission to “empower urban women to conquer their worlds with unshakable confidence and radiant skin,” Blithe adheres to the skincare industry’s best sustainable practices at each step of its product development and distribution — “from responsible manufacturing to recyclable packaging.”
Our team created several unique pitches focusing on this angle, including Blithe’s ability to take many of its ingredients (quite literally) back to their roots with the inclusion of plant-based options and serums in its line of skincare products for US consumers. This angle played hugely into Blithe’s urban branding initiative, framing them as the number-one skincare product for environmentally-conscious customers who live in big cities or areas where environment pollutants can irritate or damage one’s skin. Ultimately, our efforts led to Blithe receiving nationwide online coverage in outlets such as Newsbreak and US Weekly, as well as three unique pieces of coverage for Instyle.
Business Impact (Results)
As of September 2024, Otter PR has successfully helped Blithe Cosmetics not only enter the US market but thrive in it — despite the hurdles their brand initially faced. Our team has generated dozens of unique articles for the skincare brand, including product features, thought leadership pieces, and listicles mentioning their products as the go-to choice for women seeking self-confidence and a holistic approach to skincare and overall wellness.
“The ladies who were in charge of our account (Gabrielle Lask and Danielle Gober) were very passionate,” Blithe’s Global Brand Director said in a review of Otter PR for Clutch. “Their efforts significantly enhanced our online presence and brand visibility. They played a key role in developing and executing a comprehensive PR strategy tailored to our needs as a skincare brand, targeting both new and existing audiences…Every time there was a +200% surge in sales on Amazon or our website, tracking features proved the link to be related to articles published through Otter team’s efforts.”
Furthermore, Blithe reported that each of its three pieces of media coverage for Instyle directly correlated to a 300-1,200% spike in session and item orders through its online platform on January 20th, July 16th, and August 28th of 2023. Overall, our team’s efforts have resulted in over 800 total pieces of coverage for Blithe Cosmetics with over 14 million readers, and the brand continues to receive international recognition as a leading provider of clean, sustainable Korean skincare products.
Tags: HEALTH & WELLNESS
