Rhode: сommunication theory

Rhode is an American skincare brand founded in June 2022 by model and entrepreneur Hailey Bieber, alongside Michael and Lauren Ratner. The brand is based in Beverly Hills, California, and operates under the full name HRBeauty LLC — with «rhode» always stylized in lowercase, which itself is a deliberate branding choice that signals approachability and modernity. In 2025, Rhode was acquired by e.l.f. Beauty for approximately $1 billion, making it one of the most significant deals in recent beauty industry history. By the fiscal year ending March 2025, the brand had reached $212 million in annual revenue — a remarkable figure for a company that is only three years old.

Rhode entered the market with just three products: the Peptide Glazing Fluid, Barrier Restore Cream, and Peptide Lip Treatment. This radical minimalism was not a limitation — it was a strategic positioning statement. The brand's core philosophy is built around the concept of «skinimalism»: the idea that healthy, glowing skin requires fewer, better products rather than complex multi-step routines. Rhode describes its mission as simplifying «the mysteries and complex narratives behind efficacious skincare» and offering consumers go-to essentials they can rely on daily.

The visual identity of Rhode is immediately recognisable. Soft greys, creams, and muted pastels dominate the packaging, website, and social media. Typography is clean and bold. Product shots are minimal, well-lit, and deliberately leave negative space — communicating calm, quality, and confidence. This aesthetic cohesion is not accidental; every visual element reinforces the brand's core value of effortless beauty. Rhode's primary target audience is Gen Z and Millennials aged 18 to 34 — digitally native consumers who are immersed in social media and actively seek out brands that reflect their personal values and aesthetic. According to a survey by Intersect, 86% of Gen Z respondents cited branding and marketing as the main reason they were drawn to Rhode. This audience values authenticity, simplicity, and cultural relevance — all of which Rhode delivers through its founder-led storytelling and community-driven approach.

Central to Rhode's identity is Hailey Bieber herself. She is not simply the face of the brand — she is the brand. Her personal skincare journey, including her public struggle with sensitive and acne-prone skin, gave Rhode its founding narrative. Her signature «glazed donut skin» aesthetic became a viral cultural phenomenon, turning a skincare routine into a lifestyle aspiration. This fusion of personal brand and product brand is one of the most defining — and analytically interesting — aspects of Rhode's communication strategy.

Rhode's public communication field is entirely built around digital-first, social-native channels — the brand launched in June 2022 without a single traditional advertisement, retail partnership, or billboard. This was a deliberate strategic choice, not a budget constraint.

The primary platforms are Instagram and TikTok. The Rhode brand account has over 2 million Instagram followers and 1.3 million on TikTok — but these numbers alone understate the real reach. Hailey Bieber's personal accounts extend to 55+ million on Instagram and 15+ million on TikTok, effectively giving the brand free mass broadcast reach every time she posts.

Hailey Bieber's get-ready-with-me (GRWM) TikToks and Instagram Stories are deliberately unpolished — no professional lighting, no scripts. She appears in regular clothes, bare-faced, applying Rhode products in real time. This format erases the boundary between celebrity and consumer, making the content feel like advice from a friend rather than advertising. According to Influencity (2025), this approach is central to what makes Rhode's communication feel authentic rather than commercial. (Influencity, 2025; Content Kettle, 2025)

A cornerstone of Rhode's strategy is amplifying content created by real consumers. The brand actively reposts unboxing videos, texture swatches, and mirror selfies from everyday users — transforming the audience from passive viewers into active brand ambassadors. According to a 2024 study published in Social Media + Society (Liu & Zheng, 2024), influencer authenticity and relatability are the strongest predictors of brand credibility and purchase intent — Rhode's UGC strategy directly applies this principle. Branded hashtag challenges like #RhodeRoutine further expand organic reach without paid media.

Rather than spending budgets on celebrity endorsements, Rhode prioritises micro-influencers — creators with smaller but highly engaged audiences aligned with the brand's minimalist aesthetic. The brand's influencer gifting strategy — sending carefully designed PR packages — generates organic content without formal paid partnerships. According to Lefty (2025), this approach drove a 45% year-on-year increase in Earned Media Value in 2024, reaching $248 million in total EMV with a 3.75% engagement rate, above the 3.6% industry benchmark.

One of Rhode's most iconic communication moves was the Lip Case (2024): a $35 phone case with a built-in slot for a Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment. It functioned simultaneously as a product, a piece of merchandise, and a self-distributing advertising unit — photographed and posted by millions of users in their daily selfies and GRWM content. As Glossyreported (2024), the launch generated enormous organic buzz: TikTok flooded with opinions before the product even went on sale, and competing brands (Benefit, Colourpop) made parody posts — amplifying Rhode's reach further.