How Rare Beauty’s Success Turned Selena Gomez into a Billionaire—and Boosted Our Media Reach

As an ambassador for media monitoring platform Critical Mention, I rely on this platform to track both our agency’s and clients’ PR activity, monitor audience reach, provide publicity valuations, and access TV clippings. It's my go-to source when I speak on TV or with media outlets who are seeking to understand in easily defined metrics, the power of celebrities and the business of Hollywood.  Tools like Critical Mention help my team and I measure the true impact of media features, making it clear just how much value this viral article has generated.  It also allows us the ability to understand where coverage is being secured, along with information on the writer and how to contact them if I want to do follow-up and offer to expand their articles with additional insights. Or corrections when they don't quite get what I said right.

Every brand, every company, should monitor its media - either through a partner agency or on its own. If you need help with this, let me know and shoot me an email. We offer media monitoring services, as well as product placement clipping, for brands and agencies that need help capturing and reporting successes. When you can share with your executive team or board of directors the metrics behind the article you just worked really hard to have your company featured in, it's game-changing in their understanding of the value you just delivered.

Click HERE to read the full Bloomberg article, which is a really well-researched and written insightful article.

Now, let’s dive deeper into the insights shared in the article and take a look at how Selena Gomez built her empire through brand authenticity, mutually beneficial partnerships, and the power of perception. 

Selena Gomez’s success goes far beyond her entertainment career. While her acting and music have certainly contributed to her fame, her rise to billionaire status is largely driven by the success of her cosmetics brand, Rare Beauty. This isn’t just another celebrity makeup line. Rare Beauty is built on a foundation of authenticity and purpose, focusing on promoting mental health awareness. It’s a cause deeply personal to Selena and resonates with her audience, creating a powerful emotional connection between the brand and its customers. 

In Bloomberg, I explained, “Selena is not just a pop star. She’s a multifaceted businesswoman with diverse income streams contributing to her impressive net worth.”

Her business success comes from her ability to leverage her platform in a way that feels genuine to fans. Rare Beauty is positioned as more than just a product—it’s tied to a cause, which enhances the brand’s value and appeal. This is one of the smartest ways celebrities can build lasting brands: by ensuring the products they create or endorse are aligned with their personal beliefs and mission.

Photo Credit: Fashion Network

But Selena's business acumen doesn't stop at Rare Beauty. Like many other successful celebrities, she owns a production company - July Moon Productions. This gives her greater control over the roles she takes on and the content she produces, allowing her to shape her public persona beyond just being an actress or singer. July Moon Productions has already produced notable content like "13 Reasons Why," which attracted significant viewership and continued her mission of raising awareness around mental health.

Owning a production company allows celebrities to earn substantially more than by simply becoming cast in someone else's content. This includes having creative control, participating in multiple revenue streams from production fees, distribution deals, and backend profits, and building equity in their company.

This is a common move among top-tier celebrities. Production companies offer an opportunity to build real financial equity in an industry where earnings can otherwise be dependent on one-off projects. By owning the content, stars like Selena can create multiple revenue streams, extending the financial benefit of a successful show or movie beyond their initial role as actors. 

Celebrities like Reese Witherspoon have shown the incredible potential of this strategy. Witherspoon sold her production company, Hello Sunshine, for $900 million, showcasing the long-term financial potential of building and maintaining a stake in content creation. While Selena isn't quite at this level yet, the foundation she's building through July Moon Productions certainly opens the door to this kind of empire-building.

Selena's success also stems from her ability to form mutually beneficial partnerships. Whether through her Rare Beauty brand or production company, she strategically diversifies her income streams, which sets her up for long-term financial stability. In an ever-changing entertainment industry, relying on just one source of income, such as acting or music, isn't enough.

It's smart that she's kind of created a career that's not so dependent on music being a big part of the financial piece. Diversifying into beauty, production, and brand endorsements has allowed Selena to insulate herself from the volatility of the entertainment industry and build a more secure financial foundation. 

Both brands and celebrities need to remember that partnerships should benefit all parties involved. For example, Selena's collaboration with Coach and Puma goes beyond simply putting her face on a product. She's had input on design and strategy, making these partnerships feel more authentic to her fans. Authenticity is critical in building long-lasting partnerships that resonate with consumers.

A critical part of Selena's success is rooted in her authenticity. Rare Beauty isn't just another cosmetics line; it's tied to mental health advocacy, a cause she's been open about throughout her career. This makes her fans feel connected to her on a deeper level. They don't just see Rare Beauty as a brand — they see it as a reflection of Selena's personal journey and values. That type of 'worthy cause' makes it even more appealing for fans to support the business.

The lesson here for brands and businesses is that perception is everything. When consumers feel they are supporting a cause or a brand that aligns with their values, they are far more likely to become loyal customers. This kind of authentic connection creates brand loyalty that goes beyond the product itself and is key to long-term success.

Photo Credit: Cosmopolitan