Goop, the controversial wellness-whispering “lifestyle brand,” announced that it will expand its content empire by producing a docu-series of 30-minute episodes for Netflix.
Gwyneth Paltrow (known as “GP” to her followers) started Goop as a newsletter, but Goop’s grown into “a fully shoppable lifestyle brand” that sells everything from magic jade eggs to top echelon TV despite continued allegations of false advertising.
So, what’s the formula for Goop?
Goop’s first ingredient is content: It publishes online articles, physical books/magazines, podcasts, live events, and (soon) a docu-series. In the past 4 years, Goop’s newsletter grew from 700k to more than 8m subscribers.
But that’s just half of the recipe: Goop uses content (some of it wildly misleading) to promote its e-commerce biz, which sells skincare products, “supplements,” fashion accessories, fragrances, furniture, fitness programs, and conference tickets.
In 2017, Goop was accused of 50+ instances of false advertising. Yet, in 2018, Goop raised $50m — the same year it settled a lawsuit for $145k over a misleading $66 vaginal jade egg.
Pseudoscience sells
So, why aren’t consumers more upset about getting duped by Goop? Because its well-slimed, manipulative machine gives the people what they want.
Goop publishes wellness content about life’s anxieties, tracks engagement to see what readers are most anxious about, and then sells solutions — both real and made-up.
An example: In 2017, Goop paid a doctor to write a post about “postnatal depletion” (a term he invented). Based on the post’s popularity, Goop launched 4 lines of generic vitamins for new mothers — and sold $100k worth on the first day.
