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Selena Gomez created Rare Beauty with the goal of breaking down the standards of perfection. With self-acceptance and mental health at its core, the brand has cultivated a loyal Gen Z community that values connection and authenticity.
But with the beauty landscape becoming increasingly saturated — and Gen Z expectations and shopping behaviors evolving — Rare Beauty faced a new challenge in driving business growth. Continuing to grow meant finding new ways to break through and reach fresh audiences. The team wanted to pair its purpose-driven identity with a high-performing strategy, one that could scale its message without compromising on its values.
As Katie Welch, chief marketing officer at Rare Beauty, puts it: “Gen Z is the hardest generation to market to, because they’re savvy; they’re discerning. They want to take a picture of a product, find a review, and get that information right away.” To meet this generation in high-intent, real-time discovery moments, Rare Beauty aimed to show up wherever they were in their journey. And, with a small, agile team, that meant leaning into AI advertising powered by Google.
Rare Beauty’s CMO and chief operating officer give viewers a look behind the scenes and talk about how Google and YouTube impact its ad strategy.
Powering ads for a savvy generation
The way people search, consume, and ask questions is changing fast. Today, there’s a shift toward AI-assisted tools, like Google Lens and AI Overviews, as well as YouTube for product reviews and tutorials. Consumers are looking to summarize, compare, and discover products in more natural and intuitive ways. Rare Beauty noticed a rise in queries such as, “what is the best blush product for my skin type?” — a sign that search behavior is becoming more conversational and personal. The team needed to engineer its strategy to meet these moments, showing up with relevant, timely answers that aligned with shoppers’ intent. That’s where AI-powered advertising came in.
The team paired YouTube with its Search strategy, using Google AI to optimize creative and deliver the right message at the right time. As Mehdi Mehdi, Rare Beauty’s chief operating officer, explains: “Search is playing a growing role in the customer journey. When we’ve incorporated YouTube into our Search strategy, we’re driving significantly higher search volume from both new customers and our existing base.”
Selena Gomez appears in a YouTube Short to demonstrate one of Rare Beauty’s makeup products.
To align with Gen Z’s browsing habits, Rare Beauty tested a variety of formats and found YouTube Shorts to be a key player. These short, snackable videos, featuring product payoffs from Selena Gomez herself, brought the brand’s offering to life in a fast, engaging format that resonates with Gen Z.
Rare Beauty’s Search strategy has delivered a 7X return on ad spend.
Results that glow
By combining brand relevance with values-driven messaging and precision targeting, Rare Beauty saw strong results across the funnel. Its AI-enhanced YouTube strategy drove increased search interest among Gen Z audiences, while AI-powered Search campaigns met users where their curiosity was, driving incremental conversions.
Since adopting this approach, Rare Beauty’s Search strategy has delivered a 7X return on ad spend, proving that purpose-led storytelling paired with AI precision can drive both impact and efficiency.
It wasn’t just Rare Beauty’s own site that saw traction; the brand also drove increased traffic and conversions through its retail partner, Sephora.com.
While marketing to Gen Z may be a challenge, Rare Beauty has shown it’s possible to connect meaningfully — and measurably. As the team continues to experiment, optimize, and scale, this approach offers a blueprint for others to follow.
5 takeaways for marketers
If your brand wants to build stronger connections with customers, here are some lessons from Rare Beauty’s approach.
1. Start with what matters
Gen Z expects brands to stand for something. Rare Beauty’s commitment to self-acceptance and mental health created the foundation for its community. What values can your brand lead with?
2. Let AI do the heavy lifting
Google AI helped Rare Beauty identify demand, optimize creative, and expand reach — while freeing up the team to focus on long-term strategy and innovation.
3. Show up with purpose
AI enabled Rare Beauty to tailor messages based on real intent, from early inspiration to the point of purchase. Whether through timely product reviews or answers to skin care questions, the brand’s ads showed up with intention, right when customers were ready to engage.
4. Test and tailor your creative
Gen Z responds to formats that feel authentic, quick to digest, and visually engaging. Rare Beauty, for example, found YouTube Shorts to be especially effective, bringing products to life in ways that matched how this generation browses. Small creative shifts can lead to big differences in performance.
5. Blend heart with tech
The real magic happened when brand relevance met meaningful storytelling — amplified and accelerated by the precision of AI. It wasn’t just about capturing attention; it was about connecting with a generation that expects more, right now.
Ready to rethink your approach? Explore Google’s AI Essentials 2.0 to see how you can enhance your YouTube and Search campaigns.
