Maybelline’s Virtual Interaction on Roblox

Maybelline New York launches the “Makeup Your Mix” campaign for Roblox’s music and gaming communities according to a press release. Roblox users can try out products in the virtual Maybelline New York Lounge and Graffiti Room. Consumers also have a chance to win Maybelline merchandise and apparel. Additionally, the brand has partnered with virtual DJ Kai to release her latest song, “Fantasy,” promoted with limited-time activations and listening parties.

Is It Remarkable?

1. Virtual Space
   Maybelline is trying to use Roblox to provide an immersive interactive experience in the virtual space to attract young consumers. This is in line with the current technological pursuit of mixed reality, which helps brands interact more with consumers and even gain the attention of potential consumers. This is also a good attempt for a cosmetics brand to move from AR mirrors to the gaming world.
2. Cross-border Cooperation
   This campaign partners with virtual DJ Kai and allows users to remix her latest tracks with a chance to win and collect apparel and Maybelline merchandise. This is a collaboration between the music and beauty industries. I think Maybelline’s popularity will be effectively enhanced.
3. Art Integration
   Since users are allowed to explore the lounge and Graffiti Room in Roblox, they can try Maybelline’s makeup products through creativity. Products are transformed into tools for making art and it’s a new way of using makeup.

Or NOT?

1. Brand Authenticity
   It is a great opportunity to increase brand exposure. But users who have never heard of Maybelline may view the integration of unrelated elements such as cosmetics and games as a superficial marketing strategy. The combination of irrelevance will cause users to ignore the brand and focus more on the game itself. Wrong guidance prevents users from truly understanding the core of Maybelline.
2. Technical Limitations
   The color of beauty products is crucial to customers, and the colors displayed in the game will produce different errors depending on different electronic devices. This technical problem is unavoidable because you can’t force all users to use uniform color parameters. This issue greatly disrupts the user experience if you seek to observe the color of a product in-game
3. Target Audience
   Interaction with DJ Kai can indeed have an influence on the music industry, but song remix activity are not friendly to non-music users. The boundary between makeup lovers and music lovers is hard to pin down.

Overall it is a great attempt by a brand to enhance user connection. However, Maybelline needed to carefully consider user experience, technical challenges, and consistency with its brand image.