celeb news Business Insider: Former employees say Haus Labs Amazon launch allegedly flopped

[Schhh]

Lady Gaga's Haus makeup launch on Amazon bombed and triggered a 'mass exodus' of talent, former employees say. Now it's pinning its hopes on its Sephora debut.

 

 

 

In March 2021, Ben Jones, the CEO of Lady Gaga's beauty brand, Haus Laboratories, made an emotional appeal to staff in a companywide Zoom meeting. At the time, Haus was losing top talent at an alarming rate after a disappointing launch. And its planned relaunch was taking longer than expected.

 

Former employees described how Haus' Amazon-first strategy didn't go as planned. Even a global pop star known for her flamboyant makeup looks wasn't enough to launch a successful beauty brand outside traditional retailers.

 

Several former employees said the rush to market and the lack of beauty expertise led to a frustrating launch.

"People were disappointed when it launched — they were thinking crazy colors, and it was so plain, really nothing special". The former employee added: "The main complaint was lack of innovation."

 

A relaunch was planned almost immediately after the products launched in 2019. But inside the company, things were fracturing. Many were frustrated by how long the relaunch was taking. Executives couldn't decide on a clear vision — ideas from a skincare line to NFTs were kicked around, former employees said. Sales were unimpressive.

Sources with knowledge of the company's financials told Insider the brand generated "around $20 million" in revenue in 2021, a decline from the prior year.

 

Still, some brands — including at least one celebrity-backed line — successfully launched during the pandemic. Selena Gomez's beauty brand, Rare Beauty, which launched in September 2020, had sales of over $50 million, according to WWD.

 

From August 2020 to February 2022, a total of 37 employees left Haus Laboratories, which employs roughly 50 people at a given time, a review of LinkedIn profiles by Insider found.

 

Former employees referred to periods of especially high turnover in the spring and fall of 2021 as the "mass exoduses."

 

Edited May 17, 2022 by Schhh

[Ratviolo]

 

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Source

[Happylittlepunk]

What’s going on with all these news outlets and Twitter account keep mentioning house  labs is flopping these past couple of days? Is something happening behind the scenes? 

[Diocles]

[luckythisway]

After the Dave Portnoy fiasco, I don’t believe anything Business Insider publishes bc they believe any source regardless of credibility. However, any Haus Labs slander is A-OK in my book 

 

[SimpleKindofLife]

These back to back K**y and Gaga threads are hilarious. Honestly how many celebrities could possibly command the beauty industry? Nobody’s beating Rih

[Bang Up]

1 minute ago, Happylittlepunk said:

What’s going on with all these news outlets and Twitter account keep mentioning house  labs is flopping these past couple of days? Is something happening behind the scenes? 

An obvious hit piece.

 

Anyone with a functioning brain would know that Sephora would NOT putting a "flop brand" into 700 of its stores.  

[Kiel D-01]

Hope it goes bankrupt so she can focus on her music more. 

[Mr. Stratus]

‘Former employee’

[Happylittlepunk]

2 minutes ago, Bang Up said:

An obvious hit piece.

 

Anyone with a functioning brain would know that Sephora would NOT putting a "flop brand" into 700 of its stores.  

Do you think Gaga fans want hous labs to flop? 

[Bimbo]

Good news for us

 

[Bang Up]

Wait, is that the full article?  They mean "flop" as in things didn't go as planned product-wise, not "flop" as in financial wise. All this article does is say the launch wasn't as innovative as some people thought it would be and there was high turnover in 2021. What a misleading title for the article.

[magazine]

someone got triggered about a certain stadium tour thread, it seems 

[perfillusion]

9 minutes ago, Ratviolo said:

 

[...]

 

 

Source

Oop! 

 

OT: Haus Labs by Lady Gaga moving from Amazon to Sephora? an upgrade!  

[Ratviolo]

3 minutes ago, Mr. Stratus said:

‘Former employee’

Bitter f-words at it again

 

[Richie]

The gays don’t want to buy her make up, what’s up little monsters? You want to remain monsters I see 

 

 

 

 

[Happylittlepunk]

On positive news yes at rare beauty becoming the standard for celebrity make up brands when it comes to quality let’s celebrate a bit. 
@selegend

Edited May 17, 2022 by Happylittlepunk

[Pop]

BOMBED 

 

she needs to focus on pop music instead of lipsticks, jazz and HAC ballads 

[Illuminati]

It's time for her to leave the Avon lady life for experts like Rihanna

[#Beautiful]

kinda funny even if fake 

 

[Starshine]

whale the beauty market is oversaturated and haus labs brings absolutely nothing new to the table despite its marketing telling me otherwise.

 

sephora was the right move because who tf wants makeup from amazon. 

[State of Grace.]

f words fighting about ******* make up brands

 

From a flop to Sephora? She's winning! I hate to see it. 

Edited May 17, 2022 by State of Grace.

[MusicBiz234]

Who cares? 
 

Fenty is the only relevant pop girl beauty brand 

[Illuminati]

6 minutes ago, Richie.Valdez said:

The gays don’t want to buy her make up, what’s up little monsters? You want to remain monsters I see 

 

 

Sis this comes off as you projecting your own insecurities onto others. If you need make up to look good that's fine but this isn't the hit dragging you think it is

 

Back to the drawing board!

 

[Donquizote]