platforms and prefers content that reflects real life.
Amo’s vision directly aligns with these values by
fostering intimate, friend-focused communication
spaces.
Rather than relying on traditional influencers or
celebrity endorsements, Amo embraces a de-
influencing approach. This involves peer-to-peer
promotion, community seeding, and “friend first”
discovery models. It aligns with recent marketing
research indicating a shift in Gen Z trust away from
macro-influencers toward micro-networks (Campbell
et al., 2023). Amo’s growth relies on small-group
virality and app-based referrals, making it a natural fit
for decentralized influence strategies.
Amo brands itself around the core principle that
real relationships matter more than public image. This
emotional positioning taps into emotional branding,
creating stronger affective ties between users and the
product (Thomson et al., 2005). The emotional
experience is integral to the app itself, not just its
marketing campaigns. Amo’s user experience is
deliberately designed to market itself. Daily photo
prompts, visible user actions (e.g., “you missed
today’s moment”), and real-time notifications
generate organic content and drive re-engagement. As
such, the product functions as both a utility and a viral
communication engine, minimizing the need for
external advertising.
3.2 Numera: A Sustainable Approach
to Digital Marketing
Numera is a Lyon-based beauty and wellness startup
founded in early 2023. It specializes in solid-format
cosmetic products, such as solid shampoo bars, face
cleansers, and body moisturizers. The brand’s core
promise is zero waste and carbon-neutral production,
aiming to reshape consumer habits in the beauty
industry. Packaging is biodegradable, and all
ingredients are ethically sourced.
Numera primarily targets environmentally
conscious Gen Z and Millennial customers. This
demographic increasingly values brands that reflect
their ecological and ethical concerns. 73% of Gen Z
consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable
products (NielsenIQ, 2015). Numera’s brand purpose
which combines personal care with planetary care is
an explicit response to these evolving values.
Numera promotes its products directly through
platforms like Instagram and TikTok, integrating e-
commerce capabilities (e.g., Instagram Shop) with
user-generated product demonstrations. The brand
encourages customers to post content showing their
plastic-free routines, thereby leveraging authentic
content over polished ad campaigns. Inspired by
grassroots sales models, Numera offers digital
ambassador programs, where customers become
affiliate marketers with unique referral codes. These
micro-entrepreneurs are trained to represent the brand
authentically and educate their audiences. This hybrid
between influencer marketing and direct sales
promotes ownership, trust, and relatability (De
Veirman et al., 2017). The company consistently
weaves its ecological mission into every piece of
communication, from packaging and email
newsletters to influencer partnerships and video
campaigns. This deep narrative integration supports
strong emotional ties and reinforces the brand’s
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4 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF
MARKETING STRATEGIES
4.1 Marketing Positioning Comparison
Amo and Numera are two emerging French startups
that have adopted distinctive marketing positions
aligned with the values and behaviors of Gen Z
consumers. Although they operate in vastly different
industries, Amo in the social media tech space and
Numera in sustainable cosmetics, both aim to connect
deeply with their audiences through innovative
strategies.
Amo, founded in 2023 by Antoine Martin, the co-
founder of Zenly, presents itself as an alternative to
traditional, curated social media platforms. Its
products, Tilt, Bump, and ID, focus on fostering raw,
real-time, and friend-first interactions, deviating from
influencer-centric engagement. Amo positions itself
as an antidote to the perfection of mainstream social
platforms, specifically targeting younger users
disillusioned with the artificial engagement metrics
and performative culture prevalent on Instagram and
TikTok. By centering its brand philosophy on "real
friends, real interactions," the platform deliberately
rejects algorithmic virality in favor of authentic
interpersonal connections, creating a space where
genuine relationships take precedence over mass
visibility.
Numera approaches the market differently as a
mission-led beauty brand aiming to make sustainable