Dive Brief:
- Adding another gaming element to its outreach approach, Maybelline New York has launched a virtual experience in Roblox and the corresponding “Makeup Your Mix” campaign, the company announced Thursday.
- The experience features mini games, virtual makeup looks, exclusive music, a lounge and a graffiti room. The virtual space features Maybelline products, including mascara, lipstick and eye shadow.
- The beauty brand partnered with Splash to create the campaign and with virtual DJ Kai to release her song “Fantasy.” To celebrate the single release, the brand let players remix the song until Sept. 28 and attend Kai’s listening party, per the press release.
Dive Insight:
Alongside its Roblox venture, Maybelline has been integrating gaming and digital avatars into its marketing strategy. Last year, the beauty brand collaborated with Zynga, a video game development company, to create an in-game playable ad. In February, the retailer debuted its first digital avatar, May, to promote its Falsies Surreal Extension Mascara.
Like Maybelline, other veteran beauty brands are trying to appeal to Gen Z consumers. A recent Pipler Sandler survey found that less than a quarter (22%) of teenage respondents named E.l.f. Cosmetics as their favorite brand. Only 7% said the same for L’Oreal’s Maybelline New York.
Maybelline’s new Roblox space is a nod to Roblox’s music community. Within the space, players can use the brand’s products to paint graffiti, according to the announcement.
“Our partnership with Splash on Roblox allows us to seamlessly integrate our products into an interactive world. With a diverse range of virtual makeup looks created by talented makeup and 3D artists, users can now experiment with different styles and expressions within the virtual world of Roblox through the music game Splash,” Emily Arkells, vice president of digital for Maybelline New York, said in a statement. “This collaboration perfectly aligns with Maybelline New York’s core values of self-expression, play, and empowerment, making self-expression accessible to all, wherever they engage with our brand.”
Meanwhile, other brands and retailers are turning to the platform to reach consumers. Vans and Gucci partnered on a scavenger hunt game between their two worlds on Roblox earlier this year. In late September, Walmart introduced another Roblox experience, Walmart Discovered.
