Building a Contemporary Beauty Brand through Digital Marketing: The Case of Darling

As a result of the growing importance of digital marketing, social media, influencer communication and evolving consumer behaviours in recent years the beauty industry has undergone significant changes. In this context, the present dissertation analyses the digital marketing strategies and brand positioning strategy of Darling, an Italian premium suncare brand founded in Reggio Emilia in 2018. The study aims at examining how Darling has developed a distinctive positioniting within the competitive beauty market by combining sun protection with skincare, aesthetics, lifestyle and digital communication. The research adopts a qualitative case study approach. The analysis is based on academic literature, industry reports, internal company documents, materials coming from digital platforms and the author’s observations gained during her internship within the company. In addition, a semi-structured interview with the company’s founders provides a primary qualitative source and offers a further insight into the strategic choices behind the development and positioning of the brand. Particular attention is given to Darling’s target consumer, brand identity, competitive positioning, digital ecosystem, Instagram communication, influencer marketing and customer journey. The analysis shows that Darling’s competitive positioning is based on the combination of a distinctive visual identity, premium product quality, aesthetic and lifestyle-oriented communication, selective distribution and a strong Italian and Mediterranean identity. Digital communication, particularly Instagram, plays a crucial role in building brand awareness, desirability and consumer engagement. At the same time, the analysis of the customer journey through Kotler et al.’s Five A’s framework highlights the important role played by both digital and physical touchpoints across the different stages of the consumer experience. Overall, the case of Darling illustrates how a contemporary and relatively young beauty brand can grow and differentiate itself by transforming a traditionally functional suncare category into a desirable beauty experience, while progressively also expanding its positioning towards a broader beauty and lifestyle universe.