The allure of age-defying solutions has been a part of society ever since the dawn of time, or, at least, ever since Cleopatra famously started bathing in milk in an attempt to retain the appearance of youth. And beauty brands, through marketing initiatives and advertising campaigns, have capitalized on this cultural phenomenon. Aging has been the problem, and anti-aging creams and serums have been touted as the promised fix. But Watier, a Canadian prestige beauty and skincare leader, has a different message.

“Your Best Age is Now” is the message the brand has been promoting. After its 2022 rebrand – from Lise Watier to a more modern Watier – and 50^th anniversary celebration, the company’s messaging has evolved to embrace aging, rather than view it as something to prevent.

This is not the first time Watier has pivoted to meet the changing needs of its consumers.

“Since it was founded in 1972 by Madame Lise Watier, [the company] has gone through rebranding a few times,” explains Daphné Mollot, VP of innovation at Marcelle Groupe, who has been leading the marketing changes. “We have to be relevant for the new generation and keep up with the market realities. There is no doubt that we need to be agile.”

This most recent rebrand came about following the acquisition of Lise Watier by Groupe Marcelle in 2016 and after a thorough quantitative and qualitative research push. In addition, Watier continuously conducts bi-annual studies to collect consumer feedback and incorporate findings into its marketing strategy.

“We found out that many consumers didn’t even know that we were a Canadian brand. In Quebec, yes, but not across Canada. Maybe we were not loud enough or clear enough on who we were,” says Mollot. “So, we believed it was time for us to fine-tune.”

Watier is reinforcing the values of its rebrand in the marketing for its new Age Control Suprême Sublime Advanced product range, which features a day cream and a light day cream. Both aim to cater to skincare through a more realistic and positive marketing approach with a campaign that celebrates aging. “It’s not a question of whether you’re 58, 42 or 64 years old. Right now is the right age for you,” explains Mollot.

The brand has realized that, according to Mollot, women are disinterested in hearing about anti-aging and prefer to be spoken to with authentic messaging that embraces an age instead of avoiding it, which in this case means breaking down preconceived ideas that someone can’t change careers, have a baby or find new passions because of their age.

As part of this strategy, Watier partnered up with five influencers in an effort to increase brand authenticity and awareness across the country. These influencers are well-known faces in the Canadian beauty community, and who happen to be older than the typical beauty influencer, including 40-year-old Anupa King who went viral when she posted honest pre-and-post pregnancy photos of herself and Lebanese model and fashion icon Grece Ghanem, who’s 58 years old.

“This enables us to reach an audience that is no longer looking for a singer or a top model to represent a brand,” Mollot says.

Shortening the brand’s name from Lise Watier to Watier was also part of the vision to reach a new generation and still pay homage to its origins. “The name has always been strong,” Mollot says, “and we believe this more modern version is a great move without turning our back on the founder.”

Watier also refined its logo to a fresh font in a vibrant red – a simple way to recognize the company’s Canadian roots. “When we think about Canada, we see the flag, and red is definitely our colour. It’s a way of bringing the message that beauty is being yourself,” Mollot adds. So far, she says, the brand has received a very positive response.