But in 2023, we’ve gone from food-inspired aesthetics to actually wanting it He looks Like food, with trends like cinnamon bun butter hair, raspberry milk nails, and glazed donut skin. Today anything is possible: Velveeta hair dye, Dill and pickle flavored greaseand Hellmann’s – Mayonnaise Flavor– It seems that the more disturbed the base is, the better.
For millennials and the new generation, these products are a sensory trip down memory lane, reviving the sweet-smelling mall staples of our youth. For Gen Z, it’s a clash of highs and lows, as a clean beauty brand like Native competes with a fast-food establishment like Dunkin’.
Very happy together
TikTok, with its algorithmic obsession with absurdity, thrives on edible beauty launches. The marketing strategy borrows liberally from the rules of scarcity in streetwear, implementing limited-edition drops designed to create urgency and exclusivity. Unfortunately, these products are not designed to last long. They’re flashpoints for FOMO-prone and emotional shoppers looking to romanticize their routine. For Generation Z, the more exotic the concept, the faster it seems to catch on.
Food and beverage (F&B) licensing is a profitable avenue for these partnerships. According to the 2023 Global Licensing Industry Study conducted by Licensing InternationalFood and beverages grew by 5.3 percent, and the cosmetics industry is dipping its toes into the cake. Everyone benefits from these symbiotic relationships, as food franchises use the potential to share #BeautyTalk To spread their brand to new markets.
The result is a sweet mix of millennial nostalgia and Gen Z sarcasm that generates free advertising via memes, TikTok reactions, and social media discourse.
So, what’s next? Crunchwrap scented cologne? Hot Cheetos flavored toothpaste? Maybe a McRib collagen serum? As brands push the boundaries of absurdity, the question is not whether they will go any further, but when we reach the breaking point. Novelty has a shelf life.
Without meaningful innovation, the joke may fall flat, as some of these jokes do The franchises themselves. In the meantime, a cautionary tale: the point here is the consumer, not the producer. We don’t want to wake up tomorrow smelling Cheetos and pickles and realizing the joke is on us.