Beauty has long understood for a long time the impact of a strong pop-up event.
From product launches to brand milestones, these short-term physical spaces are a high-impact way to generate buzz in-person and online, as well as a perfect opportunity to engage with consumers and immerse them in your brand.
However, in recent years, it feels as though this once disruptive tactic has evolved to become a mainstay for beauty marketing, with social media feeds now flooded with branded cafes, trucks on tour and immersive experiences.
The question that now stands is no longer whether pop-ups work, but rather if the beauty industry is at risk of overexposure with them?
The power of a good beauty pop-up
For many beauty brands, the power of an effective pop-up lies in purpose.
“Pop-up events are more than free product sampling and a photo opportunity for Instagram,” says Peter Stocks, UK & European Marketing Director at dupe-focused Australian beauty brand MCoBeauty.
“For us, it is how we show up for our community and give back in a meaningful way.”
A relatively new entry into the British beauty market, MCoBeauty uses pop-up events as a way to build credibility and encourage product trial – a crucial step for a brand centred on accessible ‘dupes’.
“Events, for us, are never commercial drivers,” continues Stocks.
“They are never ideated with the objective to drive sales or customer acquisition, or hit any numerical ROI.
“They are activated to drive community acquisition and, even more importantly, community retention.”
The distinction between consumer and community is becoming a key conversation for beauty brands, with these face-to-face interactions offering something social media algorithms cannot: an emotional connection.
Benefit's Bounce Club saw Heaps + stacks work to build a bold and immersive experience to celebrate the launch of their new Bounce Mascara
Giada Lupi, Director at culturally-connected experience agency Heaps + Stacks, which has created pop-up spaces for Byoma, Benefit and Laneige, argues that physical experiences such as pop-ups remain one of the last spaces in which brands can create emotional impact.
“A pop-up allows consumers to step inside a brand’s world and participate,” explains Lupi.
“Participation and a physical experience builds
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