• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 

3

Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 

3

Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
RetailCovergirl

CoverGirl’s First-Ever Male Model Is Genius Gen Z Marketing

By
John Kell
John Kell
Contributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
John Kell
John Kell
Contributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 13, 2016, 5:00 PM ET
Photo by Lacey Terrell

Early this week, CoverGirl named the beauty brand’s first-ever male model. It was a savvy move to capture relevancy among the newly-emerging Generation Z. It also may be indicative of a pivot other marketers likely will be taking to advertise to this younger generation, who are more open to more fluid definitions of gender and sexuality.

CoverGirl, a 58-year-old brand, generated numerous headlines when it formally announced 17-year-old makeup artist and social media star James Charles as a CoverGirl spokesman. CoverGirl says the partnership with Charles isn’t exactly a new direction for the brand. In the past, the brand has partnered with other public figures that defy traditional beauty standards—campaigns with Ellen DeGeneres and Queen Latifah are notable examples.

“Our population is becoming increasingly diverse,” says Laura Brinker, vice president of influencer marketing at Coty (COTY). “These trends are certainly something millennials have appreciated as they’ve grown up, but they’ll be even more important for Gen Z.”

Most marketers and media stories about shifting trends in the consumer goods world are currently paying great heed to the whims of the millennial generation. Millennials have called for more “authenticity” and in general, are more untrustworthy of traditional brands they grew up with. They want a feel-good message (side-projects related to sustainability, support of environmental projects, etc.) and they’ve changed marketing in notable ways. Ads most be more inclusive in terms of showing more diversity and less restrictive gender roles. In the beauty world, success in targeting diverse millennials helped e.l.f. Beauty earn a warm welcome on Wall Street when it went public last month.

But Gen Z—individuals born after 1998—have become a fairly new target for marketers. That group, which accounts for a fourth of the population in North America, is the most ethnically diverse generation ever and influences $600 billion in family spending, according to a report commissioned by public relations and marketing agency Ketchum.

They also tend to be far more accepting of gender fluidity. A survey by branding expert J. Walter Thompson Intelligence finds that 56% of Generation Z know someone who uses gender neutral pronouns. Male vloggers are popular on Instagram and other social channels. And the popular TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race also highlights a broader acceptance of beauty products beyond the core cisgender female audience.

Charles serving as a CoverGirl hits a few key themes that should resonate with fellow teens. Charles is well established on social media: he has nearly 74,000 followers on Twitter and 587,000 on Instagram. This generation generally seeks less restrictions on gender norms, as seen by the recent move by colleges to allow new students to pick their gender pronouns.

CoverGirl is aware of these trends. The brand says it has launched a new mascara, called So Lashy, that is deemed an universal mascara designed “for anyone wanting to transform their lashes into a bold look.” So essentially, the brand is saying: we aren’t marketing this to just women.

Social media star James Charles is the new CoverGirl.

This new CoverGirl approach comes at an interesting time for the brand. Previously owned by consumer-goods giant Procter & Gamble (PG), it was sold off to Coty has part of a massive $12.5 billion transaction first announced in 2015, when P&G unloaded 43 of its beauty brands. Along with CoverGirl, Coty also got control of Clairol Professional, Wella Professionals and VS Salonist. That deal was completed earlier this month.

CoverGirl is currently the third-largest color cosmetics brand in the U.S., trailing L’Oreal’s Gemey/Maybelline/Jade and Estee Lauder’s (EL) Mac. Though CoverGirl’s sales have increased for two of the past three years, including a 5.2% jump last year, data from Euromonitor also shows the brand has lost some market share. It stood at 8.4% in 2013 for color cosmetics but slipped to 7.8% last year.

Getting Gen Z on board with the brand could help the brand find more success in that market again. “Social engagement is off the charts,” Brinker said. She added that the campaign—which formally kicked off on Monday via social media—has enjoyed positive feedback.

About the Author
By John KellContributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence

John Kell is a contributing writer for Fortune and author of Fortune’s CIO Intelligence newsletter.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Retail

delivery
Retailecommerce
Walmart’s upper hand over Amazon in the $1 trillion e-commerce race: 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a superstore
By Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressMay 16, 2026
16 hours ago
gamestop
RetailM&A
‘Neither credible or attractive’: eBay slaps down GameStop’s $56 billion takeover bid
By Michelle Chapman and The Associated PressMay 12, 2026
4 days ago
amazon
RetailAmazon
Amazon’s promise of 30-minute delivery collides with memories of Domino’s drivers crashing in the late 1980s
By Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressMay 12, 2026
4 days ago
India’s Gen Z turned Diet Coke into a status symbol. A can shortage just made it a luxury
Asiadiet coke
India’s Gen Z turned Diet Coke into a status symbol. A can shortage just made it a luxury
By Brendan Cosgrove and Morning BrewMay 11, 2026
6 days ago
Content creator Logan Walter
SuccessJobs
This Gen Zer dropped out of college to become an influencer—now he’s a millionaire from selling products like Medicube and Neutrogena on TikTok Shop
By Emma BurleighMay 11, 2026
6 days ago
Investors are betting big on senior housing. There’s just one problem—the baby boomers they’re chasing can’t pay the rent
Real Estatebaby boomers
Investors are betting big on senior housing. There’s just one problem—the baby boomers they’re chasing can’t pay the rent
By Sydney LakeMay 9, 2026
8 days ago

Most Popular

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
18 hours ago
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
Politics
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
8 hours ago
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
Future of Work
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
22 hours ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
4 days ago
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
Success
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
By Preston ForeMay 13, 2026
4 days ago
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
Future of Work
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
By Jacqueline MunisMay 16, 2026
18 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.