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Ulta Beauty uncaps shoppable mobile video for Bravo TV fans

In its first multi-platform campaign, Ulta Beauty is sponsoring a new second-screen experience from Bravo Media that merges mobile video content with commerce to target fans of the ?Girlfriends? Guide to Divorce? series. 

The beauty retailer is sponsoring the mobile-optimized Lookbook on Bravo Media?s site that enables viewers to shop cosmetics featured in video snippets from the series. Fans of the Bravo scripted television series may visit The Lookbook on their smartphones to engage in an additive second-screen experience and shop outfits and cosmetics worn by cast members.

?We are thrilled to have Ulta Beauty as the exclusive beauty partner for the launch of The Lookbook, as we know fans of the national retail brand share many of the same passion points as our viewers for the top fashion and beauty trends,? said Aimee Viles, senior vice president of emerging media at Bravo and Oxygen Media. ?Hosted on BravoTV.com, Ulta Beauty customers and Bravo fans alike can now easily browse curated product guides inspired by their favorite Bravo shows. 

?Starting with season two of ?Girlfriends? Guide to Divorce,? they can seamlessly click-to-buy products they love through partner sites. Fans, beauty lovers and fashionistas can also stay up-to-date on the latest looks by checking out style guides, tutorial videos, listicles and more on The Lookbook.?

Brushing up on mobile
Ulta Beauty is angling for an omnichannel marketing strategy by nabbing the official sponsorship for Bravo?s Lookbook, which marks the retailer?s first-ever multi-platform campaign. As major competitors such as Sephora successfully permeate the mobile space, Ulta Beauty is making the right move by branching out into shoppable video.

?All beauty brands need to consider how and where they can utilize mobile to reach new audiences in their marketing strategy,? said Marci Troutman, CEO of Siteminis, Atlanta. ?There are too many missed opportunities for any brand if mobile is not in the equation.?

Consumers may visit The Lookbook to take style quizzes, read profiles of the show?s characters and shop looks from popular scenes. After watching a clip, which typically runs for several minutes, users may scroll down to view the cosmetics and clothing pieces worn by the actresses.

If an individual takes a liking to a light pink lipstick worn by a character in a scene, she may find the corresponding product below and click on it to view the style name and price. If she decides she would like to buy the item, she can select the price button, which will bring her to Ulta Beauty?s mobile site.

The customer may then place the item into the shopping cart and complete checkout via a smartphone. Ulta will also showcase several other beauty pieces in similar shades, so that viewers may interact with a slew of top makeup brands and choose a product from a variety of price points.

?The LookBook is set up to give Bravo?s audience a completely immersive, multi-platform experience, which is something that all brands strive to create for their customers today,? said Mary Beth Keelty, chief marketing officer of PM Digital, New York. ?It reflects the important intersection of TV, advertising, social and user-generated content, giving viewers the opportunity to engage with the Bravo brand and their favorite characters from Girlfriends' Guide, while also exploring an exclusive, behind-the-scenes-type style guide experience led by Ulta Beauty.

?Additionally, this type of in-context advertising, mixed with a strong social component, builds a community experience for viewers where they can share their own passions and ideas around fashion ? which has the ability to build stronger relationships with consumers.?

The actresses? jewelry, shoes and apparel are shoppable as well, giving fans a prime opportunity to recreate some of their favorite fashions and grow even closer to the series.

Cosmetics has proven itself to be a lucrative sector on mobile, perhaps due to consumers? tendencies to engage in impulse purchases. If a user spots an interesting eyeshadow while browsing on a smartphone, there is a greater likelihood that an impulse buy will take place, due to the relative inexpensiveness of the item.

Furthermore, beauty fans who know their go-to shades can easily purchase staple pieces while on-the-go, instead of taking the time to visit a bricks-and-mortar store.

Fellow makeup retailer Sephora recently drove app downloads by taking to Snapchat to advertise exclusive firstlooks at Black Friday doorbuster deals that were visible to app users several days before sales hit stores (see story).

Ulta Beauty?s dedication to providing a memorable, interactive second-screen experience will likely resonate well with television viewers.

Marketing to relevant audiences
Bravo has reported that its site traffic has experienced a 57 percent jump from last year, proving that television viewers are increasingly looking for further consumption options after enjoying their favorite programs. Individuals who visit The Lookbook, accessible at www.bravotv.com/girlfriends-guide-to-divorce/the-lookbook, will also be able to browse style guide profiles for cast members, behind-the-scenes fashion videos and interviews.

Fans inspired by specific looks may share or pin them to their social media accounts.

Ulta Beauty is also sponsoring a digital video series hosted by cosmetics expert Sona Gasparian, who will highlight trends seen in ?Girlfriends? Guide to Divorce? and offer viewers tutorials on how to recreate the looks using Ulta products.

Bravo has been engaging in a heavy mobile push as of late, signaling mobile users? desire to connect with their favorite series during the viewing process as well as after.

This past October, Bravo allowed Shazam users a sneak peek of its new docu-series after using the app during the show's trailer, exhibiting the continual merge of television and mobile and ensuring a more resonating promotional experience (see story).

?Marketers consistently strive to engage consumers in moments of intent, so for Ulta Beauty, The LookBook will serve as a fantastic opportunity to reach Bravo?s beauty and style-savvy audiences during times of inspiration,? PM Digital's Ms. Keelty said. ?These viewers are identifying with, and feeling connected to the fashion-centric lives of Girlfriends' characters, which puts them in a more open mindset to engage and potentially make purchases.

?Not just beauty, but all brands should be approaching their campaigns with a mobile-first mentality, and finding ways to enhance the overall brand experience through high-quality, engaging mobile content,? she said.

?Particularly considering mobile?s dominant performance over Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend, this is a smart move. Our agency saw mobile impressions grow by a staggering 460 percent this year, while orders and revenue were up over 500 percent.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely, staff writer on Mobile Marketer, New York