Dive Brief:
- E.l.f. Cosmetics has teamed with experiential e-commerce company Obsess for an immersive digital shopping experience called the Virtual Luxe Lounge, according to details shared with Marketing Dive.
- The Virtual Luxe Lounge is available online for members of the brand’s Beauty Squad loyalty program in the U.S. and the U.K. The 3D experience is speakeasy themed and allows users to shop product drops and access exclusive coupons.
- The latest move from E.l.f. follows a string of digital-focused marketing plays this year, including a prior tie-up with Obsess around a beauty shopping app for Apple’s Vision Pro mixed-reality headset.
Dive Insight:
E.l.f. is continuing to focus on innovative digital experiences with the launch of its new Virtual Luxe Lounge. The beauty brand previously teamed with Obsess in February to launch your best e.l.f., a beauty shopping app for the Apple Vision Pro that encourages users to unwind with relaxing activities like guided meditation.
Members of the E.l.f. Beauty Squad can access the Virtual Luxe Lounge online through the holiday season to explore four speakeasy themed sections and score coupons that can be applied at checkout. Beyond its work for E.l.f., Obsess has developed over 350 artificial intelligence-powered experiences for brands like Mattel, Corona, Ralph Lauren and L’Oréal.
The Virtual Luxe Lounge marks the first time Obsess has incorporated a loyalty program into a 3D virtual experience. In June, E.l.f.’s loyalty program had amassed about 5 million members. Its latest shopping experience could help attract new Beauty Squad members in addition to helping grow its first-party data troves.
Engaging with consumers digitally remains a focus for E.l.f. Last November, the brand rolled out a Roblox experience called E.l.f. Up! to teach financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills to the platform’s younger users. Over the summer, the brand began testing real-world commerce capabilities within the experience as part of an initiative powered by Walmart.
Beyond the digital realm, E.l.f. has also been making several moves as part of its “Change The Board Game” initiative around corporate diversity. In May, it debuted “So Many Dicks,” a flashy campaign that took its name from the finding that there are nearly as many men named Richard, Rick or Dick as women from diverse groups on U.S. corporate boards. In October, the marketer rolled out “Dupe That!,” an effort inviting other marketers to join it in making a positive impact. Marketing Dive recently named E.l.f. the top brand in 2024 for purpose marketing.
E.l.f. Beauty, the parent company of E.l.f. Cosmetics, grew sales by 40% in its second fiscal quarter and raised its full-year earnings and sales guidance. Executives have credited E.l.f. Beauty’s heavier investments in marketing with winning over coveted young audiences and growing sales.
