At a virtual event hosted by Glossy, Modern Retail and Digiday, David Baker, Chief Digital Officer at Beekman 1802, outlined how the skincare brand is using artificial intelligence to sharpen digital marketing while preserving its human-centred ethos.

Best known for its goat-milk-based skincare, Beekman 1802 is adopting AI not to replace marketers but to enhance their creativity and insight. Baker described the current phase of AI in marketing as experimental, with no playbook yet in place. The brand works with AI analytics firm Bezel to mine first-party data from CRM systems and Shopify, using large language models to develop rich customer personas. These include “Budget Betty,” who seeks value and innovation, and “Luxury Linda,” who prefers premium, results-driven products.

AI tools are also speeding up content creation. A structured prompt flow allows Beekman 1802 to generate audience-specific marketing assets in under an hour. But human input remains key—marketers now act as editors, refining AI outputs to stay true to the brand’s voice.

Internally, Baker compared AI adoption to the early internet era, urging companies to empower early adopters and avoid top-down mandates. This approach has led to double-digit improvements in return on ad spend and customer acquisition efficiency.

AI is also transforming operations. With Postscript’s “Shopper” CRM, Beekman 1802 runs personalised SMS campaigns at scale. Influencer partnerships now factor in tone, pacing and style, not just follower counts, to boost authenticity.

In product experience, AI tools developed with Perfect Corp. offer skin analysis and AR integration. The “My Skin Biome” experience sees a 50% engagement rate and higher average transaction sizes. An AR Snapchat lens featuring the brand’s goats adds further consumer interaction.

Community building remains central. Beekman 1802’s collaboration with e.l.f. Cosmetics on Roblox promoted kindness through virtual pets and quests for World Kindness Day.

The company has also shifted away from traditional TV retail, using YouTube Google Ads, livestreamed product education and diverse influencer campaigns to drive sales. Since 2021, revenue has reportedly risen 700%, reflecting the power of integrated AI and digital strategies.

Looking ahead, Baker sees inventory optimisation and real-time sales analytics as the next big frontier. His message to marketers: “Be curious, be ethical and keep testing.” For Beekman 1802, AI is a tool to enhance speed and precision without losing the human touch—essential in skincare, where trust and authenticity are key.

The brand’s approach offers a clear model for how UK businesses can harness AI to power innovation while remaining true to their values.

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