The Rebranding of a Canadian Beauty Icon

Lise Watier is an iconic Canadian beauty brand loved for its prestige makeup, skincare and fragrance products that help women feel confident, strong and beautiful. SO was delighted to herald its rebranding to Watier in 2022.

To celebrate its 50th Anniversary, Lise Watier – Canada’s #1 drug store prestige colour brand named for its beloved Quebecoise founder – adopted a new name, Watier.

Conceived to resonate with today’s Canadian beauty consumers, the rebranding to Watier went beyond mere cosmetic changes to include a new look, logo, and brand mantra, The Beauty of Being, to celebrate its founder’s legacy.

We have partnered with Groupe Marcelle, Watier’s parent company, for many years and have proven the profound, positive impact social media can have with beauty consumers. Previously, we had created an impactful brand ambassador program called the #LWSociety and commemorated the name change to Watier by introducing a new cast of influencers under the banner, #WATIERSociety. This program would be the marketing driver for the brand.

Grow Leadership Position through Rejuvenation

Watier is the #1 Prestige Colour Brand sold in Canadian drug stores. Our mission was to maintain and grow the brand’s leadership position through the rebranding while building sales in key categories – colour, lips, eyes, complexion, and face care.

Embracing the Beauty of Strength

Our one-year strategy focused on five innovative product launches with our #WATIERSociety, and a 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Each product launch had specific key messages and tactics that supported the Watier brand. We positioned Watier as a brand created by a woman, for women 50 years ago. Ahead of her time, Lise Watier blazed a beautiful trail for others to follow. Her legacy lives in every woman who dares to blaze her own trail and embrace the beauty of her own strength.

Paid Influencers

Impactful storytelling was fundamental to our social media strategy. We recruited a roster of influential #WATIERSociety ambassadors who are known for their premium lifestyle and beauty expertise. They crafted story-driven messaging on how they live their boldest dreams, leveraging their favourite Watier products to show the beauty of their strength and femininity. We reached our target audience through Instagram and TikTok, both critical platforms where women seek out beauty and skincare advice.

50th Anniversary Celebration

We hosted a Watier 50th Anniversary special event for Toronto-based national media and influencers to introduce the brand’s new look, starring an innovative new product – Sublimessence High Brightening Vitamin C Serum.

This packed-out summer rooftop event conveyed Watier’s Beauty of Being message with memorable experiences:

• Signature cocktail featured naturally derived Canadian ingredients found in the new Sublimessence High Brightening Vitamin C Serum: Labrador tea extract, lime caviar and maple.
• Personalized lipstick consultations with Watier’s world-renowned makeup artist, David Vincent.
• Fun lip imprint reading sessions with Divination Expert, Tara Green.
• A visually impactful showcase of Watier’s new Sublimessence High Brightening Vitamin C Serum and best-selling products, with demonstrations by Watier’s National Artist & Education Specialist, Janet Entwistle.

Our influential guests fell in love with the new Watier, its Beauty of Being message and its bestselling products.

Does your brand need help cutting through the clutter? Are you looking for fresh thinking and modern storytelling that gets results? Please contact us to see if we might collaborate on award-winning campaigns in the future. We can’t wait to get started!