Act+Acre Market Pulse: Competitive Insights & Trends (2/1-2/14/2025)

📝 Bi-Weekly Competitive Market Research Report

📅 Reporting Period: 2/1/2025-2/14/2025

👀 Competitors Tracked: OUAI, Olaplex

📊 Last Updated: 2/14/2025

🔹 Competitor: OUAI

📌 Key Takeaways This Period:

• ✅ Main Strategy Shift: OUAI is heavily promoting two key products: their new & improved Wave Spray and the new Detox Face Cleanser. They are also capitalizing on the "vacation" vibe with their St. Barts Hair & Body Mist, emphasizing its larger size.

• ✅ Notable Success: The Wave Spray relaunch seems to be a major focus, with numerous ads and posts dedicated to it. The Detox Face Cleanser is also receiving significant promotional push.

• ✅ Trend Observed: OUAI consistently utilizes clean, minimalist aesthetics in both ads and organic posts. They leverage a mix of product showcases, lifestyle imagery, and influencer/user-generated content (or content that appears to be user-generated). There's a strong emphasis on "effortless" beauty and natural-looking results.

📢 🚀 Ad Campaign Highlights (Selected Top Performers)

We'll focus on ads that represent different strategies or have unique elements:

1. Campaign Name: Detox Face Cleanser (Customer Testimonial)

• Ad Type: Video

• Call-to-Action: Shop Now

• Why It Stands Out: This video features a customer testimonial approach, which can be highly effective for building trust and demonstrating real-world product benefits. The customer mentions having purchased a second bottle, implying satisfaction and repeat purchase.

• Key Performance Indicators (if available): Not available, but customer testimonials generally boost credibility and conversions.

2. Campaign Name: New & Improved Wave Spray (Spokesperson)

• Ad Type: Video

• Call-to-Action: Shop Now

• Why It Stands Out: A direct approach using a brand spokesperson directly addressing the viewer, combined with a demonstration, is effective for education and persuasion.

📲 📸 Instagram & Organic Social Highlights (Top Posts)

🌟 Most Engaging Post: "STAY SOFT" (Travel Size Products)

• 📅 Date: 2025-02-10

• 👍 Engagement: 6975 Likes, 151 Comments

• 🧐 Why It Stands Out: This post (featuring a kitten with travel-sized products) stands out due to its high engagement (likes and especially comments). The use of a cute animal is a classic tactic for boosting engagement and shareability. It's a clever way to promote a new product line (travel sizes) in a non-traditional, attention-grabbing way.

🌟 Viral/Noteworthy Post: "Happy Galentines" (Giveaway)

• 📅 Date: 2025-02-13

• 👍 Engagement: 442 Likes, 264 Comments

• 🧐 Why It Stands Out: This post, a collaboration with Mane, uses a giveaway to drive engagement. The high number of comments (relative to likes) indicates successful participation in the contest. This is a good example of leveraging a partnership and a timely event (Galentine's Day) to increase reach and interaction.

🌟 Noteworthy Post: "OUAI better than the hotel’s"

• 📅 Date: 2025-02-11

• 👍 Engagement: 2454 likes and 29 comments.

• 🧐 Why It Stands Out: High number of likes, combined with a low number of comments, and product focus.

🛍️ 📦 Product Launches & Pricing Moves

• ✨ New Products: The new & improved Wave Spray is a major focus, presented as an upgrade rather than a completely new product. The Detox Face Cleanser is a new product launch. The Travel Size Body Care line is also new.

• 💰 Price Changes: No explicit price changes are mentioned in the provided data, but the St. Barts Hair & Body Mist is being promoted as being available in a "bigger size," which implies a higher price point for the larger product.

• 🎯 Positioning Shift: The emphasis on the Wave Spray's "soft to the touch" feel and the salt-free formula suggests a move towards addressing potential customer concerns about traditional wave sprays (e.g., stickiness, dryness). The Detox Face Cleanser broadens OUAI's offerings beyond haircare, moving further into the skincare space.

📌 Final Analysis:

🧐 Summary: OUAI is in a period of active product promotion, focusing on both new launches (Detox Cleanser, Travel Sizes) and a key product refresh (Wave Spray). They are leveraging multiple advertising strategies, including customer testimonials, spokesperson videos, and product feature highlights. Their Instagram strategy is a mix of product showcases, lifestyle imagery, influencer collaborations, and engagement-driving tactics like giveaways. The consistent branding and aesthetic across all platforms reinforce their image of effortless, chic beauty. The emphasis on "natural" looks and textures (waves, soft hair) aligns with current beauty trends.

What it means for your brand:

• Emulate Engagement Tactics: Consider incorporating similar engagement strategies, such as giveaways, collaborations, and using attention-grabbing visuals (like the kitten post).

• Focus on Benefits, Not Just Features: OUAI's ads and posts consistently highlight the benefits of their products (soft hair, natural texture, easy styling). Your brand should do the same.

• Testimonial/UGC Power: Explore incorporating customer testimonials or user-generated content (or content that looks like UGC) into your ad campaigns.

• Product Refresh Strategy: If you have existing popular products, consider how you can "refresh" them (like OUAI did with the Wave Spray) to generate renewed interest and address customer feedback.

• Visual Consistency is Key: Note how OUAI presents a uniform brand.

• Skincare Expansion: If your brand is primarily focused on hair care (like OUAI was), consider whether expanding into skincare is a viable option, given the success OUAI seems to be having.

• Consider Influencer Marketing: Several instances of influencer marketing are present.

🔹 Competitor: Olaplex

📌 Key Takeaways This Period:

• ✅ Main Strategy Shift: Olaplex's primary advertising focus is overwhelmingly on their Nº.7 Bonding Oil. Almost all ads provided highlight this single product. They are emphasizing its shine-enhancing capabilities ("125% more shine") and its patented bond-building technology.

• ✅ Notable Success: The consistent messaging and visual focus on the Nº.7 Bonding Oil suggest it's either a top-performing product or a key product they're trying to push further. They are also offering a free gift with purchase over $100.

• ✅ Trend Observed: Olaplex utilizes a very clean, minimalist aesthetic in their ads, often featuring the product against simple, solid-color backgrounds. They combine this with influencer marketing and lifestyle imagery on Instagram. There's a strong emphasis on quantifiable benefits (e.g., "125% more shine") and the scientific aspect of their "Bond Building Technology."

📢 🚀 Ad Campaign Highlights (Selected Top Performers)

Since most ads are variations on the same theme, we'll highlight the different approaches used for the Nº.7 Bonding Oil:

1️⃣ Campaign Name: Nº.7 Bonding Oil (Product Showcase - Dropper)

• Ad Type: Image

• Call-to-Action: Shop Now

• Why It Stands Out: A focus on the product's texture and application. Showing the oil being dispensed from the dropper emphasizes its liquid form and suggests ease of use.

2️⃣  Campaign Name: Nº.7 Bonding Oil (Influencer Testimonial)

• Ad Type: Video

• Call-to-Action: Implied (visit product page)

• Why It Stands Out: A quick and clean demonstration adds a human element, while establishing ease-of-use and proof of quality.

📲 📸 Instagram & Organic Social Highlights

🌟 Most Engaging Post: "Introducing OLAPLEX Nº.7 Bag Charm"

• 📅 Date: 2025-02-05

• 👍 Engagement: 2111 Likes, 103 Comments

• 🧐 Why It Stands Out: This post has the highest engagement, particularly in terms of comments. It introduces a new product format (a bag charm), which likely generated curiosity and discussion. The influencer collaboration also contributes to its reach.

🛍️ 📦 Product Launches & Pricing Moves

• ✨ New Products: The Nº.7 Bonding Oil Bag Charm is a new, novel product format. The "7-Piece Cleanse & Style Minis Gift" is a promotional offer, not a new product per se.

• 🎯 Positioning Shift: The focus remains heavily on the Nº.7 Bonding Oil, but the introduction of the bag charm suggests an attempt to expand into the lifestyle/accessory category, appealing to a fashion-conscious audience. The gift set promotes trial of multiple products.

📌 Final Analysis:

🧐 Summary: Olaplex's current strategy is laser-focused on promoting their Nº.7 Bonding Oil, using a combination of minimalist product-focused ads and influencer/lifestyle content on Instagram. They emphasize the product's shine-enhancing and bond-building benefits, using quantifiable claims ("125% more shine") to build credibility. Their Instagram strategy is more diverse, incorporating influencer collaborations, lifestyle imagery, and engagement-driving posts (like the kitten post).

What it means for your brand:

• Consider a Hero Product Focus: If you have a top-performing or strategically important product, consider focusing your advertising efforts on it, like Olaplex does with the Nº.7 Bonding Oil.

• Quantify Benefits: Whenever possible, use numbers and data to support your product claims (e.g., "X% more shine," "Y% reduction in breakage").

• Minimalist Aesthetic: Explore a clean, minimalist aesthetic in your product photography, particularly for ads. This can create a sense of luxury and quality.

• Influencer Marketing Remains Key: Continue to leverage influencer marketing, both for product demonstrations and lifestyle integration.

• Novelty and Engagement: Consider introducing novel product formats or accessories (like the bag charm) to generate buzz and engagement.

• Lifestyle Integration: Show your products in relatable, everyday contexts on social media to connect with your audience.

• Test Different Ad Formats: While focusing on a hero product, use a variety of ad formats (static images, videos, influencer content) to reach different segments of your audience.

• Sales Tactics: Consider implementing a limited time offer to encourage sales.

By analyzing Olaplex's strategy, your brand can identify opportunities to refine its own marketing efforts, focusing on data-driven claims, strategic product focus, and engaging content formats.

📡 Industry & Market Trends

📰 Trending News in the Industry

• 📉 [Olaplex Faces Legal Challenges] – Haircare brand Olaplex is confronting lawsuits: “Olaplex to Face IPO Documents Fraud Claims Over Toxic Ingredient” reported on Feb, 2025. As of February 14, 2025, Olaplex Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: OLPX) closed at $1.44 per share, with a market capitalization of approximately $954.61 million. This represents a significant decline from its all-time high of $30.41 on December 30, 2021. Over the past year, the stock has decreased by approximately 32.39%

• 🚀 [Rise of Personalized Scalp Care] – Consumers are increasingly seeking haircare products tailored to specific scalp conditions, prompting brands to develop treatments with specialized ingredients. Hair Syrup, founded by Lucie Macleod, is projected to generate £6.5 million in revenue this year. The brand, known for its viral haircare products, has expanded its reach and is now stocked in major retailers like Boots.

🧐 What This Means for the Competitive Landscape

• 📌 Legal challenges faced by Olaplex may lead consumers to seek alternative products, offering competitors an opportunity to capture market share by emphasizing product safety and efficacy.

• 📌 The trend towards personalized scalp care reflects a growing consumer demand for customized solutions, encouraging brands to invest in research and development to meet these specific needs.

📊 Cross-Competitor Performance Summary

🚦 Who's Winning & Why?

OUAI appears to be winning in terms of generating engagement and fostering a more active online presence. Here's a breakdown:

• OUAI: Consistently higher like and comment counts on the provided Instagram posts. Their strategy of using diverse content types (giveaways, influencer collaborations, lifestyle imagery, cute animals) is clearly driving more interaction. They are also actively promoting multiple products across ads and social media, suggesting a broader marketing campaign.

• Olaplex: While their ads are professionally produced and focus on a key product benefit (shine), their Instagram posts (as provided) show lower engagement numbers. Their strategy appears more focused on product showcasing and less on interactive or lifestyle content. However, it's crucial to remember this is a limited data set.

🔥 Most aggressive in advertising:

• Activity: While both are active, OUAI appears to be running a more diverse advertising campaign, promoting multiple products (Wave Spray, Detox Cleanser, St. Barts) across various ad formats (image, video, testimonial). Olaplex, in the provided data, is almost exclusively focused on the Nº.7 Bonding Oil.

📈 Fastest-growing on Instagram:

• Engagement as Proxy: We'll use engagement (likes and comments) as a proxy for growth, as we lack follower count data. Based on this, OUAI shows higher engagement rates, suggesting a potentially faster-growing or more active community. Again, this is an inference based on limited data.

  • OUAI Average: ~1934 Likes, ~54 Comments.

  • Olaplex Average: ~730 Likes, ~23 Comments.

• It is important to note the total post counts provided are different.

🎯 Most strategic pricing move:

• OUAI: Promoting the "bigger size" of the St. Barts Hair & Body Mist is strategic, as it positions a higher-priced item as offering better value.

• Olaplex: Offering a free gift with a $100 purchase is a standard promotional tactic, but less strategically interesting than OUAI's product-focused approach.

🔍 Trends Seen Across Competitors:

• 📢 Common Ad Themes:

  • Minimalist Aesthetics: Both continue to use clean, minimalist aesthetics in product-focused ads.

  • Benefit-Driven Messaging: Both emphasize the benefits of their products.

  • "Effortless" Beauty: Both promote products that help achieve desired looks easily.

• 🛍️ Promotional Strategies:

  • Gift with Purchase: Olaplex is using this.

  • Giveaways: OUAI used a successful giveaway.

  • New Product/Format Launches: Both are launching new products or variations.

• 📲 Social Engagement Trends:

  • Influencer Marketing: Both heavily rely on influencers and collaborations.

  • Lifestyle Imagery: Both use lifestyle shots to connect with their audience.

  • High Engagement Tactics: OUAI is more successful in leveraging tactics designed for high engagement (cute animals, interactive questions). Olaplex's bag charm post also performed well.

  • Video is very effective for showing the process.

📌 Strategic Takeaway for Your Brand

🧐 What actions should be considered based on this competitive landscape? (Prioritized based on engagement data):

1. Prioritize Engagement-Boosting Content: The most significant difference, based on the provided data, is OUAI's superior Instagram engagement. Your brand must prioritize creating content that encourages interaction. This means:

   • More Giveaways & Contests: These are proven to drive comments and follows.

   • Interactive Questions: Ask your audience questions related to your products, their routines, or their preferences.

   • "Unexpected" Content: Experiment with content that breaks the mold, like OUAI's kitten post. Think about what will grab attention in a crowded feed.

   • Behind-the-Scenes Content: Offer glimpses into your brand's operations, team, or product development.

2. Diversify Content, but Maintain Focus: While Olaplex's laser focus on the Nº.7 Bonding Oil is a valid strategy, OUAI's broader approach on social media seems to be generating more engagement. Balance focused product promotion with a wider variety of content.

3. Leverage Lifestyle Imagery Effectively: Both brands use lifestyle imagery, but OUAI's seems to be more resonant. Ensure your lifestyle shots feel authentic, relatable, and visually appealing.

4. Refine Influencer Strategy: Both brands use influencers, but analyze which influencer collaborations are driving the most engagement. Are micro-influencers more effective than larger names? Are certain types of content (e.g., tutorials, testimonials) performing better?

5. Quantify Benefits (Continue): Like Olaplex, continue to use data-driven claims in your advertising.

6. Embrace the "Effortless" Trend (Continue): Highlight how your products simplify beauty routines.

7. Test Different Ad Formats (Continue): Don't rely solely on one ad type.

8. Product Innovation: Consider if there are opportunities to create new product formats or accessories (like Olaplex's bag charm) to generate excitement.

Key Conclusion:

The data suggests that while both OUAI and Olaplex are strong brands with effective marketing strategies, OUAI is currently excelling in generating social media engagement. Your brand should prioritize implementing strategies to replicate this success, focusing on interactive content, diverse visuals, and a strong understanding of what resonates with your target audience on Instagram. Continuous monitoring and adaptation based on performance data are crucial.

📌 Next Report Date: 3/1/2025