How Prominent Is Metaverse Marketing For The Beauty Industry?

In recent years, we’ve seen the gamification of the beauty industry transform beauty marketing as we know it. Think e.l.f. Cosmetics’ integration into Roblox and its partnership with the new Apple Vision Pro. 

This transformation leans heavily on metaverse marketing to help shape the beauty industry we see before our eyes (or through our headsets if we’re talking virtual reality) and even nods to the prominent future of AI marketing campaigns.

Alongside these beauty brand X technology collaborations, we’re now starting to see a deeper integration of game-driven metaverse marketing from larger beauty retailers. 

Ulta Beauty recently tested its GlamXplorer, a gamified loyalty program, in partnership with Hang, a platform dedicated to making the loyalty experience social. It features 42 beauty-related mini-games, including “21 Questions”, “Word of the Day”, memory games, timed challenges and quests. The more a customer engages with the games, the more rewards they receive when it comes to purchases later on. These rewards are personalised, based on customer preferences, and include discounts, gift cards and beauty products.

Though only rolled out to the top 1000 Ultamate Rewards Program members, GlamXplorer has so far fostered a community of beauty enthusiasts who have taken to connecting on social platforms like Reddit, to discuss the games and prizes.

Taking the traditional loyalty program model and putting an exciting, interactive spin on it, GlamXplorer speaks to the increased demand for personalisation, not just within beauty marketing, but across all industries. CEO of Hang, Matt Smolin, says future GlamXplorer experiences and rewards will be hyper-personalised to each customer using AI, which will consider their preferences and behaviours. Their purchasing and engagement history across e-commerce and social will also be considered. This ensures that rewards are meaningful and relevant to each customer, which will only further enhance their satisfaction and engagement.

The success of Ulta’s GlamXplorer’s testing phase shows that the incorporation of gamified elements and leveraging technology for personalisation, is ultimately the catalyst for moving the beauty industry towards technological advancements such as metaverse marketing or AI marketing campaigns.

HOW WILL METAVERSE MARKETING CHANGE THE WORLD OF BEAUTY?

As we’ve already seen with e.l.f. Cosmetics’ inception into the metaverse, virtual and augmented reality will soon become the next go-to destination for brands and retailers looking to attract the modern beauty consumer.

The pandemic has undeniably changed the way we connect with brands, with a particular emphasis on remote collaboration and an accelerated digital shift for many industries. New shopping habits lend themselves perfectly to metaverse marketing strategies, as the ability to travel anywhere, at any time to virtual stores feeds the modern consumer’s preference for on-demand beauty. 

Want to attend a new skincare line’s product launch event? Want to bring a beauty consultant into your very home rather than venturing out into the traffic? Metaverse marketing in the beauty space makes all of this (and more!) possible. 

All in all, metaverse marketing can help solve real-world issues beauty consumers face. Think about how often young professionals want to try out a new makeup look or hair colour, but are hesitant due to the potential office response. The virtual capabilities of the metaverse presents opportunities for experimentation without the barriers. 

THE BEAUTYVERSE IN ACTION

Beauty brands are racing to make their mark in the metaverse, establishing themselves in this new world by proving that tech and innovation can transform even the most traditional of industries. With metaverse marketing offering both VR and AR experiences, let’s take a look at those who have used it to enhance customer experience, boost brand awareness, and engage new target audiences in unique ways.

Estée Lauder Offers NFTs at Decentraland Metaverse Fashion Week

In March 2022, Estée Lauder participated in Decentraland Metaverse Fashion Week, the first-ever large-scale virtual fashion week in an on-chain metaverse, where it unveiled its first wearable NFT.

Users were able to virtually step inside the Advanced Night Repair “Little Brown Bottle” to unlock a digital badge or Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP) and claim one NFT wearable that gives their avatars a glowing, radiant aura inspired by Advanced Night Repair.

A limited quantity of 10,000 of the complimentary Advanced Night Repair NFT wearables were available to be claimed by attendees of Metaverse Fashion Week.

Lush launches virtual home in Decentraland

In March, Lush Cosmetics entered the metaverse by launching a space in Decentraland.

The store was a digital twin of the brand’s SXSW house activation, which took place in Austin, Texas, from March 10-13. 

It enabled users to get a first look at the brand’s new products and messages, with a digital quest to complete.

Laneige enters the metaverse with virtual store

Skincare brand Laneige recently launched its first immersive virtual store, powered by Obsess.

The virtual store features animation, 360-degree video functionality, gamification and seamless checkout. The layout consists of five rooms that are each custom designed around specific Laneige products and video content.

@laneige_us

Who says the virtual world isn’t reality? Check out the Laneige virtual store to browse products, play games, and win prodcuts 💕✨ #laneige #virtualreality #virtualstore #kbeauty #koreanbeauty #bestskincare

♬ greedy sped up – Tate McRae

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