Mediahub’s Alejandro Clabiorne on working with Ulta Beauty to reach and serve diverse consumers

Ad Age is marking Hispanic Heritage Month 2023 with our Honoring Creative Excellence package, in which members of the Hispanic community revisit some of their favorite creative projects. (Read the introduction here.) Today, guest editor Alejandro Clabiorne, executive VP, executive director, New York, Mediahub, writes about working with Ulta Beauty to reach and serve diverse consumers. I was born in California to an immigrant Mexican mother and Black American father, grew up in the suburbs of Dallas and went to college in Austin (Hook ’Em). I spent my career in cities including Chicago, Mexico City, New York and Miami, so you could say that I have seen a wide range of cultural, racial and geographical representations of “Latinidad.” Not only have I lived in all these cities that are so strongly influenced by Latin American culture and people, but I’ve also spent most of my career associated, in some shape or form, with media targeting Hispanic or Latin American audiences. It has been a labor of love to ensure brands take these consumers seriously, with emphasis on the labor, because you truly need to love this consumer to endure the labor. This is why, after my 20-plus years in media planning and buying, the work that truly inspires me can’t just be creative—it must also come with a commitment to this audience in the short-, medium- and long-term. And by “commitment” I mean money: dinero, plata, feria, lana y varo! One brand that inspires me with its creativity and commitment is Ulta Beauty. The country’s largest beauty retailer, Ulta Beauty is leading the industry through a commitment to representation and equity that’s technology-enabled and accessible to all. As its media agency of record, Mediahub has taken to heart Ulta Beauty’s mission—“to use the power of beauty to bring to life the possibilities that lie within each of us”—and together we operate with this same responsibility and commitment to driving diversity, innovation and culture across its entire media strategy. Ulta Beauty’s primary audience is creative and imaginative, true beauty influencers within their network of family and friends with the curiosity to explore new things. This audience is extremely diverse, inclusive of Black and Hispanic/Latine women who crave resources to explore and discover new beauty possibilities in the hair, skin and makeup categories. Prioritizing Hispanic audiences and Ulta Beauty’s commitment to inclusion across our entire media strategy has led to some great creative media work with partners such as Byrdie Beauty Lab—for which Ultra underwrote a panel, hosted by People en Español, aimed at honoring the Latin voices forging a new path in the beauty industry—and diverse-owned Remezcla and xoNecole, with whom we created the “Beautiful Soul” content hub that featured nuanced hair, skincare and makeup needs year-round that reflected the diversity of our Latine women. Ulta Beauty has also backed these creative programs with a significant commitment of media spend to diverse audiences. With the brand’s commitment to invest $25 million in media with multicultural platforms and ownership this year, the Mediahub team has worked closely with them to steward this investment, developing inclusive media plans that uniquely speak to all beauty enthusiasts. This commitment to connecting authentically has been rewarded with increased sales, sentiment and store traffic. Truly inspiring. Sign up for Ad Age newsletters From influencer marketing to agencies, get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox Click here

Mediahub’s Alejandro Clabiorne on working with Ulta Beauty to reach and serve diverse consumers

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