At WGA, we study brands that grow fast to understand what actually drives their success, and few have grown faster than Rhode. Rhode’s marketing strategy rests on sensory storytelling, a minimalist look and a creator-driven approach to influence, not massive traditional ad budgets. Founded by Hailey Bieber in 2022, the brand went from a small direct-to-consumer launch to a deal worth up to $1 billion in about three years. This breakdown explains how Rhode did it and which lessons other businesses can apply, with or without a celebrity founder.
Rhode at a Glance: From DTC Launch to $1 Billion Acquisition
Key Milestones: 2022 Launch, e.l.f. Deal and Sephora Expansion
- 2022: Rhode launches online as a direct-to-consumer (DTC) skincare brand.
- 2023: Rhode partners with Krispy Kreme on a limited-edition Strawberry Glaze lip treatment.
- May 2025: e.l.f. Beauty announces its agreement to acquire Rhode in a deal worth up to $1 billion: $800 million at closing plus a potential $200 million earnout tied to growth over three years. Rhode had generated $212 million in net sales over the prior 12 months, selling only through its own channels.
- September 2025: Rhode launches at Sephora across the U.S. and Canada, with the U.K. to follow.
Why Rhode’s Marketing Strategy Matters Beyond Beauty
Rhode shows how a brand can grow with a small product line, a clear visual identity and content that customers want to share. Those principles apply to restaurants, apparel brands, consumer products and even service businesses. The specific tactics vary, but the strategy translates.
Founder-Led Branding: Hailey Bieber’s Role in Rhode’s Growth
Turning a Personal Routine Into Brand Content
Hailey Bieber is both the face of Rhode and its product authority. She links every product to her own “glazed skin” look and minimalist beauty routine, so her everyday content, from get-ready-with-me videos to mirror selfies, doubles as product marketing. After the acquisition, she stayed on as Chief Creative Officer and Head of Innovation, keeping her vision at the center of the brand.
Authenticity vs. Celebrity Reach
Many celebrity beauty brands launch with massive reach and fade quickly. Rhode avoided that by:
- Showing Bieber actually using the products
- Keeping messaging consistent with her known aesthetic
- Building around a routine, not a one-time endorsement
- Letting the product quality earn repeat purchases
Celebrity attention gets people to try a product once. Authenticity and results bring them back.
Product-Led Marketing: Products Designed to Be Shared
A Small, Focused Product Line
Rhode launched with just three affordable, peptide-based products: a serum-like glazing fluid, a moisturizer and a lip treatment. That tight focus made the brand easy to understand and easy to recommend. Even when the e.l.f. deal was announced, the lineup was still compact. Fewer products meant every launch got full attention.
The Lip Case: Turning Packaging Into a Viral Accessory
Rhode’s phone case with a built-in slot for its lip treatment is a masterclass in product-as-marketing. Every mirror selfie featuring the case becomes free advertising. The accessory turned a lip product into something people wanted to be seen with, and it gave fans a reason to post.
Naming and Aesthetics: “Glazed” Skin and a Consistent Visual Identity
Rhode borrows from food to name its products and trends: “glazed donut skin,” “Strawberry Glaze” and similar flavor-inspired shades. These names are memorable, playful and easy to turn into social trends.
Visually, the brand uses soft neutral packaging and high-gloss, close-up imagery. Because online shoppers can’t touch or test products, Rhode’s content focuses on texture, shine and hydration, letting people almost feel the product through their screen. This sensory approach makes up for the biggest weakness of selling beauty online.
Rhode’s Social Media Strategy
Platform-by-Platform Approach: Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest
- Instagram: The home of Rhode’s polished, minimalist visual identity, product launches and campaign imagery.
- TikTok: Where trends, tutorials, reviews and creator videos spread the brand to new audiences.
- Pinterest: Where aesthetic inspiration lives: glazed skin looks, beauty routines and mood boards that keep the brand discoverable long after a post goes live.
UGC, Creators and Community Engagement
Rather than relying mainly on paid ads, Rhode depends on a steady network of creators and customers producing content. Product launches spark waves of reviews, try-ons and comparisons. The brand amplifies this community content, which builds social proof and keeps Rhode in feeds without constant ad spend.
Drops, Waitlists and Scarcity Marketing
How Rhode Builds FOMO Before Every Launch
Rhode treats launches like events. Limited-edition “routine drops” and seasonal flavors create urgency, while teasers, waitlists and countdowns build anticipation. A typical launch playbook looks like this:
- Tease the product on social media with close-up sensory visuals
- Open a waitlist or pre-order to capture demand
- Seed products with creators before launch day
- Launch in limited quantities
- Share sell-out moments and restocks to fuel more demand
Collaborations That Break the Internet (Krispy Kreme and Beyond)
In 2023, Rhode released a Strawberry Glaze Peptide Lip Treatment inspired by Krispy Kreme’s Strawberry Glazed Doughnut. Krispy Kreme brought the doughnut back for Labor Day weekend at the same time. The partnership worked because it fit perfectly with Rhode’s “glazed” identity. It was unexpected, but it made immediate sense. Rhode later made Strawberry Glaze a permanent shade as part of its Sephora launch.
Cultural Timing: How Rhode Rides Pop Culture Moments
Casting Rising Faces Instead of Megastars
Instead of hiring legacy celebrities, Rhode partners with fast-rising talent, such as actors Sarah Pidgeon and Harris Dickinson. These names keep the brand connected to what’s emerging in culture right now and feel native to digital discovery. They’re often less expensive and more credible to younger audiences than traditional megastars.
Experiential Marketing: Pop-Ups and IRL Activations
Rhode has extended its digital identity into the physical world through pop-up experiences and branded installations. These events give fans a chance to test products, take photos and create content, turning in-person moments into fresh social media buzz.
From DTC to Retail: How Rhode’s Strategy Changed After e.l.f. and Sephora
Scaling Awareness Without Losing Exclusivity
Moving into a major retailer can dilute a brand that grew on scarcity. Rhode addressed this by:
- Keeping its core lineup focused instead of flooding shelves
- Bringing its visual identity into stores, including glossy grey displays and mirror moments built for content
- Turning previously limited-edition shades into permanent products as a launch reward for fans
- Continuing drops and exclusives through its own channels
What the Sephora Rollout Reveals About Omnichannel Growth
According to e.l.f., Rhode had attracted more than 2 million unique searches on Sephora’s site and app in the year before launch, and the debut was expected to be the largest in Sephora’s North American history. The lesson: Rhode built demand online first, then entered retail where customers were already asking for it. Retail amplified existing demand rather than creating it from scratch.
Lessons From Rhode’s Marketing Strategy for Brands Without a Celebrity Founder
Build a Recognizable Visual System
Rhode is instantly recognizable because every touchpoint follows the same look. Your business can do the same:
- Choose a limited color palette and stick to it
- Use a consistent photography and video style
- Design packaging, websites and social content as one system
- Create brand guidelines so every team member and partner stays on brand
Make Your Product the Content
Ask how your product could become something people want to share:
- Can your packaging be photogenic or reusable?
- Can a product feature become a signature moment?
- Can you name products in a way that sparks conversation?
- Can your service create a before-and-after worth posting?
Use Social Listening to Time Your Launches
Rhode’s food-inspired products and trend-aligned launches show the value of paying attention to what your audience is already talking about. Use social listening tools, comments, search trends and customer feedback to spot rising interests, then launch products, campaigns or content that meet those moments.
Build a Brand People Want to Share With WGA
Rhode proves that strong branding, shareable products and smart social media can outperform big ad budgets. As a full-service marketing, advertising and design agency in Chicago, WGA helps businesses build recognizable visual identities, design packaging and creative, plan social media and influencer strategies and launch campaigns that create real demand. Whether you’re a growing DTC brand or an established business ready for a refresh, we’ll help you turn your brand into something customers talk about.
Ready to build your brand’s next big moment? Contact our team, book a 30-minute strategy call.
