Musings

The importance of brand voice & story: how to win hearts (and investors)
When it comes to building a brand that resonates with customers and winning over investors, how you communicate is just as important as what you’re communicating. In our latest podcast episodes, we dive deep into two essential pillars of success: a strong tone of voice and a compelling brand story.

Why we’re proud to be a feminist branding agency
The word feminist can evoke a range of emotions. Like many, I used to be cautious about using it in professional settings, even though I've always considered myself a feminist. The term comes with its own baggage, often associated with a narrow definition of feminism that doesn’t always include diverse voices. But after a recent conversation with an industry colleague, I realised that feminism is at the core of what we do at Smart Beauty Creativeand it’s something we should proudly highlight.

Don’t be better - be different
In the noisy world of beauty marketing, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of competition. But when your brand story and offering are truly unique, you start to see things in a new light. You don’t see others as competition, more like allies in the same game. That’s how we look at things with Smart Beauty Creative. It’s not about being better than the rest, it’s about being different and bringing something special to the table. Our founder Viola, tells us more…

What is The Smart Beauty Method?
At SBC, we pride ourselves on working a little differently, based on our founder Viola's experiences working at major marketing agencies. She witnessed firsthand the pitfalls of traditional agency models: bloated retainers, excessive communication loops, and inefficient use of creative talent. These challenges not only inflated costs but also hampered productivity, particularly for smaller brands with limited budgets.

When's the right time to revamp your beauty brand? Just ask Huda Kattan…
This month, influencer-turned-beauty mogul Huda Kattan just unveiled a sleek new look for her brand Huda Beauty, with a YouTube video talking about the rebrand and why it was needed. Many of our clients come to us wanting to revamp their brand story, tone of voice, and copy and for good reason. If you’re a founder or CEO, below are a few reasons why you should shake things up.

So you've successfully built a brand that has attracted a lot of hype. Imagine if you could keep that going in the long-term?
When you’re riding the wave of your brand's initial success, crafting a solid narrative isn’t just about grabbing attention—it's about establishing a real connection with your audience. Blend in some authenticity and keep your story on point, and you can turn passing interest into lasting loyalty, setting yourself up for serious success in a tough market.

People love stories, here's how to tell yours effectively…
In the busy world of beauty brands, customers aren’t just buying products—they're buying into stories. Crafting a compelling narrative for your brand is key to capturing your audience and building deep connections. Here’s how you can effectively tell your beauty brand’s story to resonate with customers.

Picture the day where your brand is stocked on the shelves of SpaceNK and Sephora. Here's how we can help get you there…
Imagine your beauty brand as the next modern-day success story, proudly showcased on the shelves of top retailers like SpaceNK and Sephora. It's not just a dream—it's an achievable goal with the right tone of voice, storytelling, and authoritative brand copy.

You're my ideal client with a dynamite brand and a story to match—here's how we’ll make it sing!
If you’re reading this, your brand has probably got a brilliant story waiting to be told. As someone who gets the power of storytelling, I know how important it is to make that story memorable so it deeply connects with your customers. This is how we’ll do it…

Struggling to make your brand story enticing? Here’s why…
Crafting a compelling beauty brand story is no easy task. Lots of beauty brands struggle to create a narrative that captures people’s attention and leaves a lasting impression. If you find yourself in this particular pickle, you’re not alone. Here are a few reasons why your beauty brand story might not be landing the way it should, and what you can do about it.

Why your brand story is just as important as your products
In today's jam-packed beauty market, where countless brands are jostling for attention, standing out isn’t just about the fancy formulas you're flogging—it's about the compelling story behind your brand. You might have the most innovative or effective product on the market, but there’s little chance of it succeeding if you don’t have an exciting story to back it up. People love stories and are naturally drawn to them – stories activate the reward system of our brain, which releases dopamine and makes us feel good. The story woven into your brand's identity holds serious sway, often shaping how customers see you and winning over their loyalty, even beyond how well your products work on their own.

How I went from an award-winning journalist to helping brands tell their story
As the founder of Smart Beauty Creative, my career journey has been far from linear. So how did I go from writing and reviewing beauty products to working with the brands behind them?

How to connect with a digital-savvy audience by mastering your tone of voice
In the digital beauty sphere, it’s not enough to just have a brilliant, showstopping product. The real trick is in how you talk about it, especially to those digital-savvy beauty lovers who are always online but also getting bombarded with the same old marketing spiel.
Your tone of voice is the beating heart of your brand's identity, shaping how customers see and engage with you. This is crucial when you're aiming at the younger generations, because a well-crafted tone of voice can get your brand woven into their lives and keep them loyal for years to come.

How do you know if your brand’s tone of voice is hitting the mark?
A few months ago I was looking for a business coach, I signed up to a newsletter for this group coaching program run by this very charismatic brand founder who had shrewdly scaled her business without hiring any new employees or slogging away into the…

Why so many brands are turning customers off (and how not to)
"Brand language is increasingly becoming homogenized, with many companies adopting similar tones, phrases, and messaging strategies. This trend toward uniformity is driven by a desire to replicate the success of established brands, leading to a prevalence of friendly…

How to cut through the digital noise + reach your ideal customer
As a young journalist, I once had to interview Elle MacPherson. It was one of my very first major assignments, and as someone who hadn’t had much experience interviewing celebrities, I was very nervous. But along I went.

How the big brands stay relevant
Being seen as “irrelevant” is something that strikes fear into the heart of every CEO or brand founder. The beauty industry is one of the most dynamic and innovative places there is, but as a consequence, the way we consume and shop for beauty has rapidly changed.