When Trends Fade: Lessons from Drunk Elephant’s Gen Alpha Slip
Drunk Elephant, once a darling of the clean skincare movement, has recently faced a harsh market reality: viral popularity among Gen Alpha — the TikTok-fueled tweens and teens — does not guarantee long-term brand strength. Originally founded in 2013, Drunk Elephant skyrocketed thanks to its “clean yet clinical” formulations that avoided the so-called “suspicious six” ingredients, and it became a Sephora bestseller. Its playful packaging, mini product kits, and clever sampling strategy made it a hit not just with adult skincare enthusiasts, but also with younger audiences who flaunted their collections online. However, after Shiseido’s $845 million acquisition in 2019, the brand has seen sales plummet nearly 65% year over year.
Part of the decline stems from the pitfalls of chasing fleeting virality. Drunk Elephant’s D-Bronzi Drops, popularized by TikTok influencers, repeatedly sold out, but the wave of affordable dupes that followed diluted the brand’s prestige appeal. While some observers argue that Drunk Elephant never intentionally marketed to Gen Alpha, the brand’s association with this younger demographic ultimately alienated its original core customers — millennials and Gen X — who began to view the brand as less sophisticated. What was once seen as playful now felt immature, creating a disconnect between product identity and the expectations of premium skincare buyers.
Experts point out that the challenges faced by Drunk Elephant highlight the danger of relying too heavily on short-term viral spikes without a solid retention plan. While virality can supercharge awareness, it creates unsustainable performance benchmarks unless brands also invest in long-term loyalty and product differentiation. Notably, Drunk Elephant’s struggles can’t be entirely blamed on corporate ownership, as Shiseido reportedly took a fairly hands-off approach, preserving formulations and brand positioning. Instead, the problem appears tied to a lack of strategic evolution, where the brand failed to meaningfully engage its core base while navigating the cultural waves of social media fame.
For the professional beauty industry, this case underscores the importance of balancing buzz with substance. Salon owners, product developers, and beauty marketers should remember that while it’s tempting to chase trends and viral moments, lasting growth depends on consistency, product performance, and a clear value proposition. Building emotional equity with loyal customers — not just jumping on the latest social wave — is what keeps a beauty brand resilient in a fast-changing market.
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