At first glance, it looked like a fun throwback. But if you look deeper—especially through the lens of someone who lives and breathes CX—you’ll see a powerful, strategic move that hits all the right touchpoints in the customer journey.

Tracee Ellis Ross didn’t just show up for this campaign—she’s been showing up from the beginning. As the founder and CEO of Pattern Beauty, she’s stayed close to her audience, her mission, and her product.

She’s in the commercials. She uses the products. She’s kept the brand voice consistent, emotionally resonant, and most importantly—centered on the people it was created for: Black women with textured hair.

In a past award acceptance speech, Tracee made it plain:

“I created this product for Black women. And I’m proud to be an inspiration and a door opener for others in this space.”

And in this latest campaign? She didn’t pivot. She connected.

So what does Pattern Beauty teach us about the customer journey?

Here are some key points on why this campaign was so powerful from a customer experience strategy perspective:

• It re-engaged legacy customers. Folks who had been around since the brand’s early days instantly felt the love.

• It sparked interest with new customers. The energy, familiarity, and fun of the Girlfriends cast drew in new eyes.

• It reinforced brand loyalty. Instead of launching something “new” to chase attention, Pattern circled back and deepened the relationship.

In short? The ad was a lesson in brand retention, emotional resonance, and the importance of continuity.

Watching this campaign hit us differently at Fierceified. Because truthfully? We needed to come home to ourselves, too.

Somewhere in the hustle to grow, we started saying “yes” to projects that didn’t align. We were taking on work that looked good on paper but pulled us in a hundred directions. It didn’t feel good. It didn’t feel like us.

So we made a hard decision—we bowed out from a client project. Not because they weren’t amazing people, but because their vision didn’t match ours. And if we’re going to preach aligned, data-driven CX, we have to live that truth behind the scenes, too.

We love a good vibe, but let’s be real: if you’re not looking at the data, you’re just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks. And guess what? That’s how brands get messy.

We. Don’t. Do. Mess.

The Pattern Beauty campaign is a reminder that the customer journey isn’t just about getting people in the door—it’s about giving them a reason to stay. Here’s what great customer experience looks like:

• It acquires new customers while re-engaging the ones you already have

• It builds community, not just one-off campaigns

• It creates emotional retention, not just transactional loyalty

And if you’re a scaling CEO or small business wondering how to revive your brand energy and reconnect with your audience, ask yourself:

• Are we creating moments that are making people feel something?

• Are we still speaking our customer's language

• Are we building a legacy, or just launching products?

How to Realign Without Burning Out

Reconnection doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel. Sometimes, it means:

✔️ Saying no to misaligned opportunities

✔️ Re-centering your message and mission

✔️ Looking at your data (seriously, LOOK at it)

✔️ And showing up in ways that are true to your brand’s heart

That’s what we’ve recommitted to here at Fierceified:

• Helping small teams and scaling CEOs use CX strategy backed by data

• Building seamless customer journeys that turn clicks into community

• And never losing sight of the people we’re here to serve

The real tea is, legacy brands don’t chase, they connect

Tracee and the Pattern Beauty team didn’t just give us a campaign. They gave us permission—to slow down, to go back, and to go deeper. And that’s exactly what we’re doing too.

If your CX feels like it’s “meh” in the middle or messy at the edges, let’s fix it. Start by using our free journey map tool and if you are really feeling froggy, contact us.

Because baby—when you build with clarity, they come home.