For decades, Canadian brands looking to crack the U.S. market have typically followed a familiar playbook: Secure shelf space with major retailers, invest in traditional marketing and build awareness over time. Groupe Marcelle, a family owned company established in 1949, is taking a decidedly different, and more modern, approach.
The Montreal-based beauty firm has launched its flagship Marcelle brand in the U.S. through TikTok Shop, making social commerce the foundation of its expansion strategy rather than simply another sales channel. It’s a move that reflects how the purchase journey is evolving, particularly in beauty, where product discovery, creator recommendations and checkout are increasingly happening in the same place.
As platforms like TikTok continue to blur the line between media, commerce and community, strategy connected with president and CEO David Cape to discuss why Groupe Marcelle is betting on TikTok Shop and the forward-looking implications of its international expansion.
You’ve sold in Canada for decades. Can you tell us why TikTok Shop, rather than Sephora, Ulta or another retail channel, was the smartest first step for entering the U.S.? What does social commerce let you do that a traditional launch doesn’t?
For us, this wasn’t about choosing TikTok instead of retail. It was about choosing the right place. Beauty commerce continues to shift toward discovery-led models, and we launched our dedicated U.S. TikTok presence because that’s where beauty is increasingly being discovered, discussed and purchased.
TikTok Shop gives us a direct way to connect with U.S. consumers and expand how we engage with them through new digital touchpoints. Through our partnership with SuperOrdinary and a creator-led approach, we can connect with consumers in a way that feels authentic while building lasting relationships from the outset.
We’ve spent 75 years building products Canadians trust. This launch reflects our commitment to innovation as we continue evolving how we connect with consumers in a digital-first environment, while bringing our scientific expertise and Canadian heritage to a new audience.
Many brands still treat TikTok as an awareness channel. You’re treating it as a retail channel. Do you think marketers need to rethink where social fits in the purchase journey?
What we’ve seen is that consumer behaviour has changed. Consumers increasingly expect discovery, education and commerce to happen seamlessly within the same platform.
That means social is no longer simply an awareness channel. It can play a role across the full purchase journey. For us, TikTok isn’t just another marketing channel. It’s a platform where storytelling, community and commerce come together, and that’s what made it the right entry point for Marcelle in the U.S. It also allows us to engage directly with consumers, learn from them in real time and continue refining how we show up in a new market.
What’s one lesson you’ve learned about taking a Canadian brand into the U.S. that you think other marketers would benefit from?
It is still early, so I would hesitate to say we have all the lessons yet. But one principle guiding us is to know what makes your brand distinctive and stay true to it. For Marcelle, that means building on the scientific rigour, formulation expertise and understanding of sensitive skin that Canadians have trusted for generations.
At the same time, entering a new market requires listening and learning. U.S. consumers may discover and engage with the brand differently and we need to be thoughtful about how we communicate what makes Marcelle relevant to them. The foundation stays the same, but we will continue adapting how we tell the story and build the relationship over time.
– Image courtesy of Groupe Marcelle
