Proctor & Gamble?s Olay skincare brand is using mobile advertising to target tech-savvy moms who are looking for quick beauty tips and products.

Olay is running the ads to specifically promote the brand?s anti-aging Total Effects line of products. The Olay ads are running inside the Huffington Post iPhone application.

Olay did not respond to press enquiries.

Olay is a consumer beauty brand from Proctor & Gamble that focuses on anti-aging and moisturizing skin care products.

New skin
The mobile ads feature actress Thadie Newton as the spokeswoman for the campaign.

The Olay banner ads read, ?What is her secret swap for amazing skin? Find out.? and encourages users to tap to learn more about the beauty products.
 
When tapped on, the ads expand and explain the Olay Total Effects seven-in-one moisturizers, which claims to minimize fine lines, reduce dark circles and moisturize for daily use.

On the mobile-optimized landing page, users can choose to buy the moisturizer through three third party retailers ? Amazon, Walmart and Proctor and Gamble?s eStore.

Users who tap on the commerce-enabled links to mobile-optimized pages where they can read user reviews, add the products to their shopping carts and buy the items directly.

Additionally, the ads connect to Olay?s mobile Web site where users can learn more about Olay products.

For each item, consumers can learn about what the product does, its ingredients and read reviews.

The mobile site also includes skin and health-related articles that users can read. Articles are bundled into categories including skin care basics and routines, skin care science and innovation and anti-aging articles.

Mobile target
The Olay mobile ads show how crucial ad placement is for brands.

The ads appear in the entertainment section of the Huffington Post iPhone app, which is geared at lifestyle content and matches Olay?s core demographic.
 
Huffington Post iPhone users are likely to be looking for simple skin care tips and products, and by placing an advertisement alongside the content, Olay is able to tie its brand to the user experience.

Proctor & Gamble banks on online retailers to sell its products and by giving consumers links to three large online retailers, it lets users choose how to buy an item. It also encourages price comparison and an open mobile retail market.

Proctor & Gamble has specific mobile campaigns for individual campaigns that center around making its products relateable and accessible to tech-savvy consumers.

For example, for the company?s line of Downy fabric softener, Proctor & Gamble used a mobile scavenger hunt in Las Vegas where consumers explored city landmarks for a chance to win prizes (see story).

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York