Why Supergoop! is Super!
Just a few reasons why I love SuperGoop! and Holly Thaggard!
When my mother was in high school, she accidentally slammed a door on my grandfather’s back. She had acne, so she already had an appointment with a dermatologist. She begged my grandfather to come with her to her appointment to show the doctor his bruise, but he swore it was nothing. He was right, the bruise was nothing. But right next to the bruise, the doctor saw something he did not like and had It tested. My grandfather had skin cancer, and if it were not for my mother he might have found out too late.
Growing up I heard that story a million times. My pale skin burns easily, and I have a family history of skin cancer. My parents used to chase me around with sunscreen as a kid, but as an adult, I am thankful for that. When I think of the products I use every day, sunscreen always makes the list. And when I think of my favorite sunscreen brand, it is always SuperGoop!
Until very recently, we only saw sunscreen In the summer. What I mean by that is, sunscreen was only marketed as a summer product. SuperGoop changed that. So, how and why did Supergoop disrupt the sunscreen industry?
When Holly Thaggard heard the news that a close friend in her 30’s had skin cancer, she knew she had to do something about it. Before this, Holly was a trained musician. She went by “Holly the violinist” and played for country clubs. She liked music but did not love it. She also was an elementary school teacher, but after one year on the job, her school did not renew her contract. After receiving the news about her friend, Holly began researching and found out that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. She also learned that UV rays penetrate the skin in the winter as well as the summer. She thought of the elementary school kid she used to teach and realized how much time they spend outdoors and how dangerous it could be. She also recognized that sunscreen is bulky and leaves a white mask. She saw the gap In the market, but it was up to her as to how she was going to fill it.
Holly wanted schools to distribute sunscreen, so kids could play freely regardless of the weather. Reaching out to scientists, she worked to finalize an innovative sunscreen that is weightless on the skin. She tested the product on herself and her family until she got it perfectly. After reaching out to schools, she learned that sunscreen was prohibited in schools. The last two years of her work became useless, but instead of giving up, she pivoted.
She started looking into retail, specifically children’s stores when she got a phone call from Sephora. Holly left her phone number on the bottle in case anybody wanted to reach her regarding the product. A buyer from Sephora saw Supergoop in a children’s store and brought it to the corporate office. They were impressed with the product and felt that the brand was serious in its technology but also playful. While Sephora liked the brand, they felt that it was still too small. They told Holly to grow the brand and reach out once she did. Holly made getting the Sephora account her goal.
Holly went to a trade show to build her brand and her booth ended up next to Roxanne Quimby, the founder of Burt’s Bees. Roxanne connected Holly with the biggest beauty PR firm in New York. After spending time growing the brand, Holly then realized it was time to reach out to Sephora.
Holly flew to San Francisco to meet with Sephora, and she lands the account. Sephora offered Holly a prestigious table in the front of the store for summer. While most brands would kill for this spot, Holly does not accept it. She understood that promoting her brand only in the summer directly contradicts her mission. She asked for a tiny spot, for only two products, all year round. The product spoke for itself, and Sephora consumers bought it.
There are many reasons why Holly’s story resonates with me. Firstly, Holly was innovative. She had the foresight and believed in herself. She also pivoted countless times in her career. She was assertive and strategic, like when she put her number on the bottle. At the heart of the brand is Holly. I adore a brand with an important mission and great execution, especially when it is female-founded.
While I love the brand, there are some recommendations I have for it. The beauty/skincare industry can be too gimmicky at times. If I as a consumer feel like a brand spends more money in marketing than science, I get worried. While Supergoop is playful and fun, there is a fine line between that and gimmicky. I would tell Supergoop to be conscious of this line. Next, Supergoop is starting to play in the makeup space. In my opinion, this is not the best move. Skincare is growing and makeup is declining in many retailers such as Sephora and ULTA. Supergoop should not try to diversify in an industry as cutthroat and saturated as makeup. It also makes the brand seem less scientific, so I would tell Supergoop to focus on skincare. Lastly, I would tell Supergoop to not overdistribute. Recently, I walked into 3 stores on the same block that all carried Supergoop. Supergoop plays in a higher-end market, so overdistributing could dilute the brand and make it seem less exclusive.
I really do love Supergoop. And who knows, maybe I will work there after I graduate.
