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Paris Mendones
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BEAU 350 — Global Launch Deck · Winter 2026

rhode UK Expansion

A market entry strategy for bringing rhode into the UK — anchored on a Sephora UK retail partnership and a four-city community pop-up series that translates the brand's digital intimacy into IRL touchpoints.

  • Brand Strategy
  • Market Entry
  • Marketing
Red London phone booth wrapped as a rhode activation — the brand's first IRL UK touchpoint
London storefront takeover — rhode hoarding wrapping a Mayfair-style townhouse facade
Pop-up cube — a portable, on-brand activation unit that can travel across London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh
Sephora UK interior — proposed in-store rhode retail moment with mirrors, vanity stations, and seated try-on stools
Night activation — illuminated rhode wall paired with a phone-led discovery moment

The brief

I had to design a market entry strategy for an existing prestige beauty brand entering a new region. I chose rhode (Hailey Bieber’s barrier-focused skincare line) and the UK — a £2.72B skincare market where 24.6% of the category is prestige and 68% of consumers rely on online reviews before buying.

Situation, complication, recommendation

The UK skincare market is growing, and prestige is a meaningful share of it. UK consumers are research-heavy — they read reviews online, then buy in person from trusted retailers. That gap between “where I learn” and “where I buy” was the strategic opening: rhode is famous on Instagram and TikTok, but a digital-only launch would leave the conversion behavior on the table. The recommendation was to extend rhode’s “best friend” brand identity into physical UK community spaces.

The UK audience

The persona is Amelia Clarke — 34, London, marketing manager, middle-to-high household income, sensitive skin, prefers clinically-backed brands, prioritizes hydration and minimal routines. She researches online but trusts in-store purchase. She’s drawn to credibility, transparency, and a recognizable point of view.

Hero product strategy

The launch leads with rhode’s most iconic product: the Peptide Lip Treatment (£20, five shades, 10ml, barrier-focused hydration). It’s the most photographable and the most shareable — the right wedge product to lead with. Competitor benchmarks: Paula’s Choice (£17, 12 shades, £1.42/ml), Ole Henriksen (£15, 3 shades, £1.73/g), Biossance (£26, 2 shades, £1.00/ml). rhode prices in the middle but wins on barrier credibility and shade range.

Distribution: Sephora UK

The market entry runs through Sephora UK. UK consumers buy prestige skincare from retailers they already trust, and Sephora is the largest prestige beauty retailer in the country. It’s also a discovery environment — the right place for a new brand to introduce itself.

The big idea: community pop-ups

A four-city pop-up series — London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh — designed to translate rhode’s digital intimacy into in-person community engagement. Curated brand environments, photo moments built for social sharing, two-way interaction rather than one-way content consumption. Pop-up content fuels the always-on social mix (Instagram stories, TikTok shorts, email highlights).

Influencer mix

A two-tier influencer strategy: global voices (Hailey Bieber herself, Matilda Djerf) for international halo, and UK-native creators (Lydia Milleen for luxury lifestyle, Alice Liveing for wellness/skincare credibility) for local trust.

Next project

REFY Brow Sculpt — 'An essential product for all sophisticated moms on-the-go'

Sculpted to Perfection

A full-funnel integrated marketing campaign repositioning REFY Beauty's Brow Sculpt for a new audience — sophisticated, on-the-go moms — across awareness, engagement, conversion, loyalty, and advocacy.