Social Listening: Billie

I chose the brand Billie, which is a brand that sells razors for woman. I was interested in this brand because I had seen their ads before and I was rather impressed by them. Through my research I found that apparently I was not the only one. The Billie ads feature women with real body hair, which you'd think would be a common practice for a razor company, but women's razor ads have always shown beautiful women shaving already smooth and hairless skin. 

The value proposition of the brand is that they are convenient, empowering and forward thinking. Their razor starter kit includes a holder that can stick to the shower wall and stores the razor safely by magnate. They also make it clear that these razors were designed for womankind, and that they forgo the pink tax, the starter kit being only $9. 

On twitter I found several posts saying that the Billie ads featuring women with body hair were refreshing and empowering. Billie has begun to encourage women to accept their body hair and be more confident with it. They also expose the overlooked fact that women have hair all over their bodies, and that women routinely shave in many more places than just their legs.

Billie has also found a niche female empowerment in the razor industry, and they are using this to their advantage, their ads prioritizing diversity, representation and body positivity with which to market. Their emphasis on slashing the pink tax makes this feminist energy very clear. 

I also found a couple posts saying that buying a razor from this brand made them excited to shave again, and that they are more excited to try this brand rather than other brands. Billie has done an amazing job at making themselves stick out from the crowd and has made itself a bit of a purple cow. 

From a marketing standpoint, I would say that this company is doing excellent. Their message is very clear and they have begun to make a recognizable name for themselves. In regards to how well the brand listens, I think that its existence is already a response to the types of beauty ads that the modern women of today has grown tired of. They have already listened to what the world of women's hygiene wants, and it wants straightforward honesty about the reality of women's bodies, and Billie has delivered.

Their brand is highly aesthetic, which is very important for marketing to their target demographic. I have seen their ads on YouTube before videos, and they have done a good job of making their ads entertaining. They do use storytelling in a way. They tell the story of the insecurity that has been ingrained into women's heads by the beauty ads of the past, and they break that mold by showing confident and empowered women. They emphasize showing that women have hair all over their bodies and shave in more places than just their legs. Women's bodies have been so stigmatized, but these ads make them visible in a way that is not sexualized. 

While they have done well in building strong brand recognition, they seem to be lacking in other areas where they could be doing well. Unfortunately I could not find much social media presence. Billie does not have a designated account on either twitter or Instagram. This means that their communication with customers is limited or non-existent. I did however find many sponsored posts on Instagram. This is a common marketing tactic that makes people buy something because something they follow and that they possibly trust has recommended it. This is a decent move, if a little predictable. 

During my search on social media I was unable to find any direct brand to customer communication. I have not heard of any controversy surrounding this brand that they would need to have responded to. I do however think that they should be putting more effort into engaging with the public. Having a strong social media presence is essential for most brands today, and the fact that Billie does not have one is frankly surprising. I would recommend that Billie place their energy into retweeting inspiring articles and posts, responding to praise and shutting down anyone who may post about being uncomfortable with their somewhat outspoken and empowering ads.