Code of Ethics — Beauty Industry
Establishing a Code of Ethics is vital to any business in laying a foundation for rules and behaviors a brand must follow. As social media continues to grow and is becoming the mainstream communication and marketing efforts for businesses, It’s essential to establish expected ethical behavior for how a brand connects with its audience and stakeholders. This is a sound practice to avoid mishaps in online marketing initiatives that can harm a brand, company, or individual’s reputation. Good social media ethics focus on properly leveraging different channels to conduct safe and well-thought-out efforts and relationship building. Below is a code of ethics a beauty brand should follow when conducting its social media presence.
Rare Beauty’s primary source of marketing and brand communication is done through various channels of social media. Currently, the brand has an overall collective following of 2.5 million across different social media channels. This is partly due to being founded by famous public figure, Selena Gomez. This stresses the importance of each social media interaction. Whatever Rare Beauty does reflects on Selena Gomez and vice versa and must be a collaborative effort in maintaining both the makeup brand and public figure’s reputation. Therefore, implementing a Social Media Code of Ethics is essential to Rare Beauty in remaining true to its initiatives and mission statement.
It is the responsibility of the Social Media Communications Department and Marketing Team to adhere to Rare Beauty’s Social Media Code of Ethics at all times and through each online interaction. Communicate and interact on social media as you would if you were meeting clients, customers, or stakeholders in real life. How you conduct the brand online will significantly impact how the audience perceives that brand. Below are a set of guidelines that will act as the groundwork for ethical, social media behavior. Additionally, each exchange must adhere to the brand’s core values and mission statement when conducting social media initiatives. Reference mission statement:
Mission Statement
Rare Beauty’s Core Values:
We believe in the Beauty of imperfections.
We nurture a caring, respectful community.
We create meaningful connections and relationships.
We champion authenticity and positivity.
We lead with transparency to build trust.
We believe there is power in being vulnerable.
KYA — Know You Audience
- Conducting market segmentation is the first step when establishing your online presence and will allow you to tailor content and marketing efforts to that target audience.
- Once knowing your audience’s demographics & psychographics, you will be equipped with learning how to communicate with your target audience and what content is socially accepted by them.
Post with Caution
- Since Rare Beauty is big on utilizing user-generated content (UGC), make sure all pictures, videos, and linked content shared or posted align with the brand’s inclusivity and diversity initiatives. DO NOT post content that is defamatory, discriminatory, lewd, or threatening to an individual, brand, or entity.
- Rare Beauty wants to remain authentic and does not retouch photos. All content is original and accurate to form.
- Never include content that is not a direct reflection of the brand and its products. Misleading advertising can lead to mistrust in a brand.
- Ensure all information shared is appropriately cited, fact-checked, tagged, and backed up by supported and reputable sources. Never use someone else’s work as if it were your own.
- Imagine the impact of your post before you press share or send. Posting cautiously is critical. What you post can remain on the internet far after you’ve deleted it and may have an everlasting impact on the brand. Always refer back to RB’s branding guidelines.
Tone and Engagement
- Avoid using exaggerated comments, derogatory remarks, or characterizations. This could impact how customers might perceive you as the representative/ambassador of your brand.
- Remain positive when conversing with your audience. Sometimes the tone of a caption, comment, or message can be taken wrong. Demonstrate an uplifting, understanding, and accommodating tone all times. Play it safe by remaining polite and respectful.
- Take accountability. When responding to disgruntled comments, continue to accommodate and highlight what the brand can do to improve the situation. Always take responsibility if possible.
- Be prompt in your responses. This is extremely important and will reflect that the brand cares about its fans, customers, and followers.
Stay Away From Biases
- Avoid negative political, religious, ethnic, and any cultural bias that is seen as controversial. This could lead to detrimental scandals and loss of respect for the brand. Rare Beauty is prided on inclusivity and diversity.
- Stick to the basics of the brand. Social media can become convoluted. Sticking to what the brand represents, its products, and the space it wants to create is the safest and easiest way to continue social marketing efforts.
- Only speak on an issue if the brand’s name is directly and continuously connected to a problem and you have a plan with executive approval.
Be Picky with Influencer Collaborations & Stakeholders
- Conduct thorough research on influencers and stakeholders before developing a partnership or collaboration. It is imperative that these entities align with Rare Beauty’s initiative and beliefs and have not been involved in any public scandal or conflict.
- When collaborating, it is essential to conduct monitoring efforts to ensure that each party continues to align with the brand’s initiatives and ethics.
- If an influencer or stakeholder starts behaving in a way that is not aligned with Rare Beauty’s morals, the company must immediately terminate business with the entity.
Don’t Compromise Data
- All company data such as brand performance, business forecasts, strategic plans, trade secrets, or any legal information must remain private and not be included in social media practices unless directly affecting the audience or customer.
- Protect clients, stakeholders, influencers, and third-party affiliation’s confidential information when conducting communication efforts through social media platforms.
- Do not cite, post, or reference clients, partners, or suppliers without approval from the relevant manager in your organization.
- Utilize multi-factor authentication methods when granting access and using social or home media sites.
Be Transparent
- In the event of a social media scandal, it is important to take accountability and be transparent when a mistake has been made. Publicly apologize as soon as possible. Always divert back to the brand’s mission statement.
- When endorsing public figures or companies, exclaim why you are doing so and how they align and support Rare Beauty’s initiatives.
- If there is an issue that directly affects customers or stakeholders, such as product restock issues or backup, address it promptly and publicly. This will avoid the loss of trust in the brand.
There is no con to developing and abiding by a Code of Ethics when using social media. Instead, it allows for a brand to create deeper and meaningful relationships with its audience and humanizes its initiatives apart from profit. Taking time to align with your audience and knowing the rights and wrongs of social interactions and engagement will benefit the brand long term.
References
https://www.business2community.com/social-media/7-fundamental-ethics-social-media-marketing-01571504
