In 2020, amid the global pandemic, L’Oréal says that it identified the need to enhance customer centricity, transitioning from consumer understanding to consumer empathy.

As a leading player in the dynamic beauty industry, L’Oréal adds that it recognised the importance of staying connected with consumers to navigate the rapidly changing digital and cultural trends. This led to the creation of Beauty Talks, a global initiative designed by Human8 to foster genuine connections with consumers and professionals across 29 countries.

L’Oréal says that it chose to prioritise real human interactions over AI and synthetic data, emphasising the importance of truly listening to and understanding real emotions from real people. 

Delphine Vantomme, Head of Consumer Closeness at Human8, says, "At Human8, we believe that the key to true consumer empathy lies in authentic human connections. With Beauty Talks, we have created a platform that goes beyond average consumer profiles, connecting L’Oréal stakeholders with truly inspirational individuals, including niche profiles such as influencers and professionals like make-up artists and hairdressers."

"But achieving real consumer empathy requires more than just tools or capabilities. It involves building the right skills, fostering a culture of empathy and integrating these practices into everyday work," adds Vantomme.

Since its launch in 2021, the L’Oréal x Human8 Beauty Talks programme has engaged consumers and professionals in 29 countries, providing access to thousands of pre-screened and pre-profiled individuals. Over 3 000 L’Oréal stakeholders from various cross-functional teams have been onboarded and trained, resulting in over 4 800 connections with consumers and professionals, says L’Oréal.

The programme has received high satisfaction (4.6 out of five) and recommendation (8.7 out of 10) scores, highlighting its effectiveness and value to the L’Oréal business. 

Myralda Derks, L’Oréal's Chief Consumer and Market Intelligence Officer, says, "This programme is of crucial importance to L’Oréal for many reasons, but two very important ones. Firstly, we play in beauty categories that are incredibly dynamic and ever-changing based on many digital and cultural trends. Staying in-tune with our (potential) consumers is fundamental to keep a finger on the pulse of how they are feeling and what they are thinking."

"Secondly, in this age of agility, speed, data, tech and AI, listening to consumers, sensing and developing consumer empathy and being able to get in touch with the emotions enable us to deepen the relationship between our brands and consumers," adds Derks.

Human8 says that its commitment to consumer empathy through the Beauty Talks programme has set a new standard in consumer closeness, demonstrating the power of genuine human connections in driving business success.

"We are incredibly proud to be recognised by the global research community for our work on the Beauty Talks programme. This award is a testament to our team's passion and dedication in championing authentic consumer empathy, and we believe it reflects the future of how brands will connect with their audiences," says Tim Wragg, the newly appointed Global CEO at Human8. 

"It is a true honor to partner with L’Oréal in pioneering this human-first approach, and we look forward to continuing to push boundaries in this space," concludes Wragg. 

Individuals are encouraged to register for free for Human8's Best Bits from ESOMAR 2024 webinar on Thursday, 3 October to hear how L’Oréal builds consumer empathy through BeautyTalks.  

For more information, visit www.wearehuman8.com. You can also follow Human8 on LinkedIn, X, or on Instagram.

*Image courtesy of contributor