Estée Lauder Cos.? Crème de la Mer is introducing its consumers to the #ArtOfPlay.

The brand is pushing its Renewal Oil both organically and via paid advertising on Instagram, leveraging user-generated content along the way. Instagram?s young audience makes it an ideal platform to reach new consumers, while user-generated content will help those prospects understand they are buying into more than marketing.

?I believe that the luxury beauty market has an advantage when selling makeup and skincare products because you expect to get a superior product as opposed to a unique style/design you would get from a designer handbag,? said Brittany Mills, director of digital marketing services at Mobiquity. ?There are knockoff handbags, but no knockoff beauty products because the product itself is what customers want ? not just the look.

?That, in itself, is enough of a selling point, and therefore ad placement is much more powerful than content.?

The Art of Play
La Mer is running a carousel ad promoting the Renewal Oil ?beloved by beauty editors and devotees the world over.? Curious consumers who click through to the brand?s Instagram page will discover several more photos advertising the product using #LaMerArtOfPlay.

Among them is a tutorial video, also posted to YouTube and shared on other social media channels. It shows a model applying the Renewal oil first to her hair, face and hands.

For those who click ?shop now? button on the ad, they will be taken directly to the product?s page on the brand site. Further down the page is a short video.

At first, a silhouette is seen close to the camera against an effervescent, sepia-toned background. As the lighting shifts, a woman is seen in an extreme close-up rubbing her skin.

About halfway through the video, a pop-up asks the viewer if she would like to live chat and learn more about the product as the video continues to pan across the figure?s skin. Still further down the page are testimonials from three beauty and lifestyle bloggers, who sing the praises of the oil.

Consumers new to a beauty label often see the brand as a less trustworthy source of information about products, so testimonials from experts and regular people go a long way toward selling a product. Bloggers in particular often form close ties with readership, effectively becoming a trusted friend. A nod from those individuals will help sell the product.

Still further down, an interactive screen asks the user, ?What?s your pleasure?? with ?perfecting? and ?pampering? as the choices. Either option will lead to the selection of face, body and hair before dispensing care tips, ensuring the user knows exactly what she is buying.

Lastly, La Mer deploys user-generated content, displaying images of the Renewal Oil that have been tagged with #LaMerArtOfPlay. User-generated content, like testimonials, assures the prospective customer that friends and regular people enjoy the product.

?It is very important for a brand to cultivate a young, digitally active consumer and fanbase because reviews and organic promotion is the most impactful when it comes to beauty products,? Ms. Mills said. ?This industry thrives off of organic promotion and by putting a spotlight on that element rather than brand created content is a smart move.?

Instagram market
La Mer has previously leveraged user-generated content for its marketing campaigns.

In October, the brand illuminated the unique story present behind each of its jars through a user-generated content campaign.

Launching during the brand?s 50th anniversary, #MyLaMerStory asked consumers to share a photo of their crème and elaborate on what it means to them on social media for the chance to have their photo appear on La Mer?s Web site. For a skincare company, having actual users endorse a product can be more effective than even branded communications (see story).

Instagram?s young, engaged audience has helped make it the go-to social media platform for marketers.

As the velvet ropes of luxury continue to come down, Instagram has created an outlet for storytelling that has democratized the industry, according to panelists at the Condé Nast International Luxury Conference April 20.

During ?The Power of Social Media? session, panelists discussed what lured fashion figures such as Donatella Versace and Alber Elbaz to Instagram and how a high-fashion hub has been established on the platform. Using Instagram as a marketing tool provides brands with tremendous reach while allowing for behind-the-scenes and personality-driven content to drive awareness, inspiration and purchasing (see story).

?Instagram is a leading platform for beauty/makeup enthusiasts and a go-to for tips, expert advice and product reviews,? Ms. Mills said. ?It makes sense that Instagram is being leveraged for an ad campaign with this audience since the platform doesn?t allow links in post copy; it is the only way to create a shoppable call to action outside of links in profile bios.

?The carousel ads are very popular within the Facebook platform and ?flipping? through them has become a natural behavior for those browsing on their mobile devices,? she said. ?Using that ad type on Instagram creates a familiar (and expected) experience for users.?