How L'Oréal’s Alex Wang boosted Garnier’s social media with diverse creators

While L’Oréal is no stranger to successful social marketing, its Garnier Whole Blends brand had room for improvement before Alex Wang came along as director of Garnier brand marketing in 2022. Before his arrival, the line hadn’t seen a year of growth since 2018. Wang turned that around by dialing down spend on big-budget TV campaigns and leaning into low-production social and creator content. See all of Ad Age’s 40 Under 40 honorees here “Something we really needed to stress was how to be more efficient with our spend, noting that the brand had been through a period of decline over a few years,” he said. “We moved to something that was a bit less produced by employing diverse creators with self-shot content we’re then able to amplify with social spend.” Wang, 32, also reached outside of his remit by engineering a national campaign with the nonprofit Gold House. It included experiential activations and a sustainability grant and mentorship program for Asian Pacific founders, all while featuring AAPI creatives in several spots. He has continued representing AAPI employees on his team at Maybelline New York, where he became brand marketing director in March. “We need to ensure our products perform for people of all skin tones, textures and types,” he said. “If we don’t have diverse and inclusive teams, we’re not going to consider what problems these unique communities are facing.” If you could have dinner with one person, alive or dead, who would it be and why? Serena Williams. I’ve been a die-hard fan since I first picked up a tennis racket as a kid. Beyond her being the greatest of all time on the court, I’ve always admired her ability to break through cultural barriers and navigate adversity. Plus, she’s now founded her own venture capital fund and beauty brand. I’d love to chat about her career reinvention and perhaps get some tips on my serve, too. What are the top two social media sites you use on a regular basis? TikTok for entertainment, observing trends, cultural commentary and all things beauty. Instagram primarily for keeping up with friends and family. What’s currently on your bedside reading list? I have a couple of chapters to go in “The Three-Body Problem” by Cixin Liu. I’m not usually a sci-fi person when it comes to books, but this one has a great twist and had me daydreaming about space and the universe. Typically, my go-to books are memoirs. I love learning about how people’s experiences have shaped their success. “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight is a favorite. Next up will be Ina Garten’s “Be Ready When the Luck Happens.” Serena, please write one soon! What was the last show you binge-watched? I tend to only binge-watch shows that I’ve seen before, like “Friends,” because I’ll play them in the background while I’m multitasking. The nostalgia still hits though. I’m criminally behind on more recent shows. Currently working my way through “Succession” and I need to finally start “Game of Thrones.” At what age do you hope to retire? Retirement isn't on my radar just yet. I’m really enjoying marketing as the second act of my career (after finance), and I’m excited to see where this path leads. I've started thinking about exploring advisory roles or even starting my own business down the line. Of course, I’ll always make time for family and friends, travel and some tennis. ~ ~ ~CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly reported that the overall Garnier brand hadn’t seen growth since 2018. See all of Ad Age’s 40 Under 40 honorees here

How L'Oréal’s Alex Wang boosted Garnier’s social media with diverse creators

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