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Behind-the-Scenes, Beyond the Gloss: What Made Glossier’s Reel Go Viral

A side-by-side breakdown of two Glossier reels—and how authenticity, curiosity, and a killer payoff made all the difference.

Author

natasha Barwell
May 14, 2025

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In today’s newsletter

  • How Glossier gets us all glowing (and how you can too)

  • The biggest hidden cost on your P&L?

  • DTC Gold for the day

  • Grow smarter: Reallocate ad spend, boost ROAS with affiliates

In today’s AI Launch Codes (For Premium Users Only)

  • Build scroll-worthy visuals without touching a design tool 

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How Glossier gets us all glowing (and how you can too)

Glossier is a beauty powerhouse that somehow makes every product feel like your newest best friend. They’ve long relied on glossy, hyper‑curated content, but in their collaboration with Sydney Sweeney, they surprised everyone by leaning into unfiltered behind‑the‑scenes moments and the results speak for themselves.

In today’s post, I’m breaking down one of their high‑performing reels (2.6 M+ views) and one of their lower‑performing reels (just 128 K views) to see exactly what tactical shift drove the spike.

🥇 The High‑Performing Reel: 2.6 M+ Views

This reel taps into the candid side of BTS content—and the internet can’t get enough.

  • Viewer Connection:
    The clip opens with the director playfully engaging Sydney Sweeney in an off‑script moment. This genuine interaction immediately establishes an authentic bond between the talent, the team, and the audience.

  • Curiosity:
    Sydney jokes that the “funny camera” is secretly capturing her reactions. That tease makes viewers stick around to see exactly what that mischievous lens will catch next.

  • Satisfaction:
    The final shots show Sydney’s funny expressions and interaction with the camera and you can practically feel the energy of a fun, carefree shoot. The payoff is both visually pleasing and emotionally rewarding.

🥉 The Lower‑Performing Reel: 128 K Views

Here’s why this similarly styled reel didn’t hit the same heights:

  • Lack of Surprise:
    It opens with a straightforward hair flip from Sydney—cute, but entirely predictable. There’s no unexpected twist or build‑up to hook viewers.

  • No Narrative Hook:
    Without any tease or candid commentary, the clip feels polished yet flat. Viewers aren’t drawn into a story or an off‑script moment—they simply see “another pretty shot.”

💡 Takeaways for Your Brand

  1. Cultivate Authentic Moments:
    Swap scripted perfection for genuine interactions and capture the unscripted banter, the spontaneous laughter, and the behind‑the‑scenes moments that makes viewers feel like insiders.

  2. Spark Irresistible Curiosity:
    Plant a playful tease or a subtle mystery at the start, whether it’s a “secret camera” or an unexpected prop and give your audience a reason to pause their scroll and stay for the reveal.

  3. Deliver a Show‑Stopping Payoff:
    Conclude with a visually or emotionally charged moment that could be a surprising twist, a burst of laughter, or a breathtaking product reveal that leaves viewers satisfied and eager to share.

Next time you plan your brand content, think beyond the polished reveal. Lean into those candid POVs that make the viewer feel like they’re right there with you and watch engagement soar.

Until next time,

Hana 💥

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DTC Gold for the day

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Build scroll-worthy visuals without touching a design tool

Long-form content is great. But let’s be honest, most people just skim through. Napkin AI turns your listicles, blog headers, or landing page bullets into actual visuals you’d want to share. And it does it fast.

I gave it this: “4 benefits of mushroom coffee”

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If you’ve ever wanted to turn a blog section, bullet list, or landing page benefit stack into something visual, but didn’t want to deal with Figma or Canva, this one’s for you. And in my case, I use Canva & Figma, and yet I always find myself coming to Napkin AI for something or the other.

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You don’t always need to write a prompt.

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But just for fun, I typed:

"4 reasons to love mushroom coffee"

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