Inside the SoPost Summit NYC: bold strategies, beauty breakthroughs, and what’s next in brand marketing.

The SoPost Summit in New York brought together some of the brightest minds in marketing for an honest, insight-packed look at what’s working now – and where the industry’s headed next.

From billion-dollar sampling strategies to the evolution of demographic targeting and loyalty, the theme was clear: brands that win in 2025 and beyond won’t just market to people – they’ll co-create with them.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the morning, packed with ideas, inspiration, and a few mic-drop moments.

1. Sampling isn’t a nice-to-have – it’s a revenue-driving machine

We kicked the morning off with a deep dive into e.l.f. Cosmetics’ explosive growth. In FY 2024, they surpassed $1.02 billion in net sales, a 77% increase from the previous year. Sampling helps drive their marketing initiatives, new customer trial, and brand engagement.

Far from a tactical add-on, sampling is fully integrated into their marketing strategy: driving trial, first-party data capture, long-term loyalty and DTC conversion.

"We know the power of getting our product into consumers’ hands," claimed Shelby Newell, Senior Brand Manager at e.l.f. Cosmetics.

"Sampling drives brand awareness, helps with conversion, and builds brand loyalty."

And the results are real: when e.l.f. Cosmetics launched a Super Bowl advertising spot for their Power Grip Primer with just two weeks' notice, sampling was one of the marketing levers used to amplify the message across TikTok, retail, and email, reaching over 50,000 new consumers.

You can’t just rely on a big ad anymore,” continued Shelby. “You need to amplify the message so people are seeing it 360 — wherever they are, whatever they’re scrolling."

💡 Key takeaway: when you think about sampling, think bigger than just getting products into hands – it’s a high-ROI acquisition and retention engine when integrated strategically across your marketing channels.

2. Sampling can do more than drive trial – it can change consumer behavior

Despite being told that "Italians don’t wear primer,” e.l.f. Cosmetics doubled down, and sampling helped their Power Grip Primer become the #1 SKU at Douglas Italy. Why? Once people tried it, they converted:

"Sampling didn’t just support a launch – it helped drive behaviour. We played a part in helping consumers rediscover primer."

💡 Key takeaway: trial has the power not only to support launches, but to reshape markets, shift habits, and open up entirely new category opportunities.

3. Sampling fuels the data loop that powers modern marketing

e.l.f. Cosmetics doesn't just sample for awareness – they do it to gather rich consumer insights that power personalization, fuel R&D, and drive long-term customer value.

Their campaigns regularly generate thousands of reviews, boost their Beauty Squad signups, and feed DTC retargeting efforts:

"Loyal consumers have a higher lifetime value. Sampling can be a great way to engage new a new community and bring them into the fold."

💡 Key takeaway: treat sampling like a high-intent data channel. The customers you engage through it are often your most valuable in the long run.

4. Demographic targeting is evolving, and intent is taking the lead

The morning’s second session opened with a bold reframe: demographics still matter, but they’re no longer the most important factor.

Instead of defining audiences by age or gender, today’s best marketers are using wider context to reach consumers at the right moment.

“Age and gender give some context, but they don’t tell the full story. We care more about what’s motivating someone to buy right now," claimed Caroline Vaters, Senior Partnerships Manager at Uber Ads.

At Uber Ads, that might mean targeting someone en route to a concert or beauty retailer – not because of who they are, but because of where they are and what they’re doing.

"Brands are too focused on Gen Z sometimes," added Evangeline Sarney, industry expert in beauty brand marketing and Generative AI.

"But a 23-year-old and a 50-year-old might shop for the same serum. You need to target based on values, not age."

💡 Key takeaway: layer in behavioral signals, real-time context, and motivations – not just demographic data – to improve relevance and response.

5. The influencer landscape is shifting, and smaller voices are getting louder

One clear takeaway: building trust with Gen Z is hard-earned and easily lost. They'll cancel you faster than you can convert them – unless you're real. Gen Z expects authenticity, transparency, and content that speaks to them, not at them.

Something Kalpana Satish, Consumer Data Activation Lead at Maybelline, emphasized:

"Gen Z is quick to call out anything inauthentic. They want real voices, real content – not polished perfection."

That shift is also reshaping influencer strategy. While macro influencers still deliver reach, Maybelline is seeing some of their strongest results from micro-creators who feel relatable.

"Today’s influencers are celebrities, which means the content isn’t always relatable. That’s why we constantly test both macro and micro to see what resonates."

💡 Key takeaway: shift your influencer mix. Micro-creators often deliver higher engagement and more trust than big-name personalities.

6. AI can scale your marketing – but only if you feed it your story

AI is changing how we target and create at scale. But without the right inputs – like campaign data, customer feedback, or even product reviews – generic outputs fall flat. So what can brands do? Be smarter with your prompts, stressed Evangeline:

"The best-performing AI doesn’t use generic prompts. It’s trained on your brand’s content, your customers, your data. That’s when it works."

"Tools like MagicBrief are also where it gets exciting," continued Evanglenine. "They use predictive insights to show which parts of your ad people are likely to engage with, and then generate tailored creative based on that."

💡 Key takeaway: use your own insights to train AI and combine intelligent tools with first-party data to generate content that feels tailored, not templated.

7. Loyalty is no longer about discounts – it’s about emotional connection

Points and perks aren’t enough anymore. True loyalty comes from making people feel seen, valued, and included. Whether it’s exclusive access, spotlighting superfans, or surprising customers with real-world rewards, brands are turning loyalty into love.

Something Caroline was especially passionate about:

"Loyalty isn’t just about discounts. It’s about being seen – getting access, feeling valued, being part of something special."

Evangeline added that brands have a huge opportunity to rethink who gets rewarded – and suggested tapping into real customers, not just influencers, for elevated experiences.

“If a brand sent me out on a launch trip as a regular customer? I’d be loyal for life.”

For brands like Maybelline, loyalty looks a little different, but the mission is the same: show consumers they matter. And sampling has been a huge driver in that, according to Kalpana:

"We don’t have a formal program, so we build loyalty through experience – through sampling, quizzes, virtual try-on experiences. It’s about giving people ways to engage, no matter where they shop."

💡 Key takeaway: loyalty is emotional. Create moments that make customers feel part of something bigger, not just better deals.

8. Your first-party data is your most valuable asset

As cookies fade and privacy regulations tighten, your ability to capture and use your own customer data is now mission-critical. First-party data fuels personalization, campaign performance and even product development.

It's your biggest asset, according to Evangeline:

“If you’re building a brand today, your data is your biggest asset. Keep it. Use it. Train your systems with it. That’s where the future is going."

💡 Key takeaway: start building your dataset now and think beyond email addresses. Product preferences, purchase behavior, and feedback all feed smarter decisions.

The brands winning the future are built for connection

Across the whole morning, one message came through loud and clear: the best brands of tomorrow will co-create with their consumers, not just market to them. They’ll listen better, act faster, and meet people where they are, with products that speak to their values.

The next big brand? It won’t be the one shouting the loudest. It’ll be the one listening the closest.

Check out the other marketing trends that are dominating 2025.