Search results
MAC Cosmetics, stylized as M·A·C, is a Canadian cosmetics manufacturer founded in Toronto in 1984 by Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo. The company has been headquartered in London since becoming a subsidiary of Estée Lauder Companies in 1998. MAC is an acronym for Make-Up Art Cosmetics .
Oct 9, 2018 · Updated. What's now known as one of the best makeup brands in the world first started as a small professional makeup supplier right in Toronto. MAC Cosmetics - or Makeup Art Cosmetics, as it was originally known - was started by Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo, who made the makeup in their kitchen.
- Elizabeth Keith
- Contributor
"Our founders [Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo] ... Indeed, MAC was the first makeup company to sign TikTok creator Sabrina Bahsoon, more widely known as "tube girl," for a collaboration after the ...
- How A Gap in The Market Led to The Birth of Brand
- Approaching The Cosmetic Market in A Way That Had Never Been Done Before
- Mac Cosmetics Is Bought by Estee Lauder & The Industry Growth Continues
- Intuition & Brand Identity Turn A Niche Makeup Company Into A Cult Brand
- The Icing on The Cake—Quality Product Development
- What's in Store For The Future of Mac Cosmetics?
The Two Franks
Way back in the late 1900’s, a photographer/makeup artist and a hair salon owner were becoming frustrated with the cosmetic products on the market and how they were affecting their businesses. Frank Toskan, a Canadian photographer, realized there was a distinct need for makeup products that photographed well. Frank took his concern to his friend, Frank Angelo, and the two began to manifest what would later become MAC Cosmetics. Along with the lack of quality in products, both men felt that th...
Kitchen Cosmetics Are All the Rage
Picture this. You’re in Toronto. It’s the eighties. Style is bold. Makeup falls flat. Your name is Frank. You believe in beautiful lipstick. This is essentially the beginning of MAC Cosmetics. Frank and Frank got together and began to craft pigmented lipstick shades inspired by a pink crayola crayon, right in their kitchen. The initial intention was to make products for the models that Toskan would then use on the models he photographed. Word quickly began to spread and soon that one pink lip...
Madonna Dons MAC & The Rest is History
MAC got its first big success when Madonna wore one of the company’s signature lipsticks in a modeling ad in the late 80s. Having fallen in love with the brand, the popstar and the beauty newbie created a signature lipstick for Madonna’s Blonde Ambition tourin 1990. The gurus (Franks) at MAC created a shade for Madonna called “Russian Red,” gaining the brand massive recognition, popularity, and demand for this key lipstick color. Just one year later, MAC launched their first American store in...
Coming in Hot
Because of the nature of MAC Cosmetics, the Franks knew that the packaging had to be as stand out as the products themselves. Initially sold in black containers instead of the typical compacts, it was clear to anyone that looked at the brand that this product was something different. Beneath the chic packaging, the brand would unveil products that were so bold and beautiful, stage makeup of the day could not compete. It was clear that MAC was not a typical beauty brand. The company did not po...
Representation
From the beginning, the brand has been an LGBTQA+ powerhouse, creating space for communities that had previously had little representation. Both members of the community themselves, the Franks felt that inclusivity was incredibly important and was the basis of the entire MAC brand. As MAC thrived in New York, alongside the AIDS epidemic, the company felt a driving need to do what they could to raise awareness around HIV and provide funding for research. Couple the founder’s life experience wi...
A Philanthropic Launch
In 1994, Viva Glam was launched to raise awareness and funds to fight the raging AIDS epidemic. In true MAC fashion, the brand launched a bright blue lipstick graphic named “Viva Glam”and committed to donating 100% of sales to the newly established MAC AIDS Fund. This bold move in the industry attracted the attention of stars, community spokespersons, and fashion magazines alike. The company’s commitment to a philanthropic fight against the spread of HIV led to more heightened brand awareness...
Boutique Brand to Household Name
Shortly before the launch of Viva Glam, beauty company Estee Lauder purchased 51% of MAC Cosmeticsto widen the conglomerate's brand portfolio. Estee Lauder was looking for a range of companies that would appeal to segmented demographics and MAC was the perfect fit to grow the conglomerate’s customer base to include makeup artists. With the launch of the Viva Glam campaign, MAC Cosmetics (partnered with Estee Lauder) leaned heavily into their unintentional marketing technique of celebrity endo...
Tragedy Strike MAC Cosmetics
Focusing on no other advertising, the company continued to grow through word of mouth and strategic partnerships under the direction of the Franks. Sadly, just three years after the success of Viva Glam in 1994, MAC Cosmetics would experience a complete and unforeseen shift in leadership. In January of 1997, MAC co-founder, Frank Angelo, experienced complications following a surgery and tragically passed away at the age of 49. He was largely credited for being the driving force for enlisting...
Young & Eager Leadership
With the original founders of MAC Cosmetics no longer making the decisions for the trendy and elite makeup brand, Estee Lauder had to place someone in the position. Looking for edge, drive, and aspirations, Estee Lauder would ultimately land on a leader that would take MAC Cosmetics so far into the 21st Century and around the globe that the brand would be standing strong 20 years into the future. After Toskan’s resignation, MAC Cosmetics was spearheaded by Estee Lauder’s own John Demsey. Unde...
Strong Positioning & Pop Culture
Learning on the fly, John Demsey developed creative direction habits during his time at MAC that he still uses today. Demsey understood the attraction and outlet that MAC provided to its followers and he strove to not only maintain it, but duplicate and deepen it. Dempsey knew the effect that pop culture had on the masses and would continue to partner with figures in pop culture to drive MAC brand recognition amongst younger crowds. You could say that Demsey had an understanding for “content...
Proof in the Pudding
John Demsey was no doubt integral in furthering the success of the MAC brand. With his strategic approach, he was able to better understand the wants and desires of consumers in many countries. He surrounded himself with intelligent women and diverse advisors to keep his confirmation bias to a minimum and keep an open mind to the trends of the youth. Over the years, he has spoken many times about the importance of building a strong and charismatic brand, while giving away the lessons he’s lea...
Key Takeaways — Understanding is Deeper Than Knowledge. It’s about more than the bottom line.
By understanding the deeper meaning behind brand/consumer connection, Demsey was able to help develop MAC Cosmetics into a cult-classic brand. Through understanding human emotion and how emotion can be impacted by a brand, MAC has become a source of comfort and inspiration for individuals and businesses alike. This deep and universal connection is responsible for lifting the brand up, carrying it amongst the whispers, and allowing it to root around the world. Distribution, however, was strict...
Socially & Environmentally Conscious
While MAC gained much of its recognition through celebrity endorsements and philanthropic initiatives, the company continued to expand because of its commitment to quality, high-end products. To back up the loud presence of the brand, the products had to hit the mark. Had the quality of MAC products been low and leaving something to be desired, the brand would not likely have had the success that it has. However modest the start, MAC never faltered in its commitment to creating high-quality p...
Creativity is Key
Yes—MAC is socially conscious, environmentally conscious, and incredibly philanthropic. However, creativity and innovation should be equally credited for the overwhelming success of MAC Cosmetics. Globally, the brand has over 7000 product offerings and more than 100 eyeshadow shades, all with a unique flair and purpose. Starting with their bold lipsticks, the brand continued to build complex and stand-out collections that had little competition in the early 2000s. Initially, the brand expande...
Key Takeaways — Engagement Drives Consumption.
What MAC has done very well is to keep its customers engaged. Relevant partnerships, unique product development, community initiatives, and customer rapport have all worked to keep the brand in the minds of its demographic. They resonate with their consumers, they understand what their consumers want from the businesses they buy from, and they provide the solution within their company. Their adaptability and willingness to change has kept them at the forefront of the cosmetics conversations a...
MAC Opened the Doors & The Competition Walked Right Through Them
Will MAC Cosmetics continue to be the color authority of the luxury cosmetics industry? Or will a prodigy of the global giant overtake them and cost them their sales? While no public information definitively predicts this at the moment, MAC Cosmetics will have to keep up their ingenuity and originality to stay current in today’s beauty marketplace. Name brands like Urban Decay, Kat Von D, and Smashbox were all created after MAC Cosmetics and stand as strong competitors against the 37 years ol...
Virtual Innovation & COVID-19
Like every business in every industry, MAC Cosmetics was not left unscathed by the rippling effects of COVID-19. Global shutdowns and distribution issues rocked the world of in-person retail and drove more business online. This led to multiple storefront closures and employee layoffs as the company attempted to adjust to the changing times. With retail already in a decline, this is a decision that COVID forced many businesses into before they likely intended. However, in 2020, MAC Cosmetics l...
Key Takeaways
Despite having its market strategy, brand identity, and product style duplicated by brands across the globe, MAC Cosmetics currently holds its position as an industry leader and fashion authority. The brand’s commitment to adaptability and market connection has spawned a faithful audience that is likely to continue to use MAC for years to come. Should the company continue to set examples in methodologies and experiences, its expansiveness and customer acquisition will only continue to grow.
People also ask
Does Frank Toskan still own Mac?
Why did Frank Angelo & Frank Toskan start Mac?
Is Frank Toskan a private person?
What happened to MAC Cosmetics after Toskan resigned?
Nov 4, 2015 · In 1984, beauty salon owner Frank Angelo and photographer Frank Toskan created M.A.C. cosmetics in their kitchens to fulfill their professional makeup needs. They decided to package...
The M·A·C story began in 1984, when visionary founders, Frank Toskan and the late Frank Angelo, created M·A·C’s first line. out of their home and business in Toronto. Their mission was clear – to create a cosmetics line that not only inspired, but served the needs of the professional makeup artist.
Dec 23, 2021 · "When the brand became successful in the '90s, the founders, Frank Angelo, who was a hairdresser, and Frank Toskan, a makeup artist who was his partner in business and in life, wanted to give back ...
