How Augmented Reality lets Sephora “try on” something different
Selling is and has always been a challenging task that requires several personal skills. Nowadays, any sale is also highly dependent on your marketing efforts, and your marketing strategy will be incomplete without using modern technologies.
There are so many new trends and technologies impacting the marketing vision, strategies, and interactions. They allow you to engage with people and their devices in a way that is transforming the customer journey. Some of these existing marketing technologies include voice search, interactive content, chatbots, artificial intelligence, personalization, and many more. Today, I want to talk about Augmented Reality.
AR might not be the newest trend anymore. However, it is increasingly popular within the marketing world because it allows brands to give their customers upgrading and unique experiences by tapping on their mobile devices. With AR, any brand can make their shopping experience easier and more engaging for customers, either in their own homes or at physical stores.
It can definitely bring endless benefits and opportunities for your brand, like enhancing your brand value. According to the Drum reports, AR can increase interaction rates up to 20%, keep people’s attention for over 85 seconds and improve the click-through rate to purchase of 33%.
So, how are brands exactly taking advantage of this tool?
Augmented shopping experiences are one of the rising trends in the retail industry. It allows customers to virtually try products through the mobile device screen, without physically interacting with them. This action has become more relevant than ever before. I think it is very useful, especially in Covid times, since there is limited access to in-store experiences and we have moved into an online world. Therefore, brands need to find new alternatives to engage and incentivize purchase.
Sephora´s Virtual Artist Mobile App
Based on my personal perspective, the only make-up products that I actually buy online are the ones that I am already familiar with. For me, it is not an option to explore and buy new make-up online, as I can’t tell which lip color will look better on me or if that foundation color is the right one for my skin color. No matter how many online reviews I read about a beauty product, I really need to try them on first. As it is clear that I am not the only one, Sephora decided to bring an Augmented Reality beauty app called Virtual Artist.
When I read about Sephora’s Virtual Artist app, I was very excited! Then, I discovered it is not available in the US. To be honest, I was a little heartbroken, but their technological initiative is definitely worth sharing!
After reading more about it, my mind was blown away! The technology used in the app is very impressive. I can only imagine the technical accuracy, timing, level of realism, and quality that need to come together in order to make this app efficiently working.
The app basically uses facial recognition software that detects your eyes, cheeks, and lips for virtual and immediate product placement, anywhere you want, at any time. It allows you to compare and switch colors in a matter of seconds. It seems like a very entertaining app where I am sure that any make-up fan could spend a lot of time playing around with different looks. Isn’t is what any brand is looking for? To create that level of engagement?
Also, what I found very effective and interesting about this AR app is that it goes beyond virtually trying full make-up looks from your favorite brands. It also enables you to get step-by-step tutorials personalized to your own face, so it is easy for you to recreate the looks you loved. Of course, they place the products and tools you need, so you can immediately select and purchase them.
One of the golden rules for brands when creating an app is to always provide users a good reason to download it and stay around. You need to make it useful, interactive, and relevant for users, and I think this app achieves that. Sephora’s Virtual Artist App not only generates engagement, buzz, and brand awareness, but it is an excellent initiative to drive sales.
By letting users “try on” the products first and see how they look on users’ faces, the brand encourages them to purchase online more often, with more confidence. This is especially true since using free make-up testers at Sephora’s physical stores does not seem like an attractive option anymore, thanks to Covid. Finally, this technology incentivizes earned media since users can record and share their augmented reality looks on other social media platforms.
Honestly, I hope that I get to try the Virtual Artist app one day to tell you, from a personal experience, if this tool is as good as it sounds and looks.
