With the digestion of the brands acquired from Procter & Gamble behind it, Coty Inc. can focus on building its color cosmetics properties. This week, the beauty power is unleashing digital innovation along with new products for Rimmel London, its makeup brand associated with its bold and streetwise looks.
Rimmel is launching a series of live cosmetics try-on effects available within Facebook’s new in-app camera and Facebook Stories. Two new products are also hitting shelves hoping to get a bigger share of the mass eye category sales.
With the Facebook app, users can virtually try on edgy eyeliner looks right from the in-app camera, which can then be shared within Facebook Stories, Facebook Live feeds or on their timelines.
Rimmel’s Facebook Camera Effects is available through the in-app camera, Facebook Stories and select content on Rimmel’s Facebook pages in the U.S., U.K. and Middle East. Users will be able to try on original signature eyeliner looks such as the triple flick or the double mod. This is the latest in Rimmel’s strategy to assist consumers in learning how to experience makeup trends.
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“Coty is focused on continuous digital transformation of our brands to ensure we are continuing to exceed consumers’ needs. We have always placed importance and tremendous value around augmented reality and virtual try-on tools across our brands, including Rimmel, Sally Hansen and Clairol, and it made perfect sense to bring that same excitement and exploration to the world’s most ubiquitous platform — Facebook — in a way that’s perpetual, and scalable,” said Fred Gerantabee, global vice president of digital innovation at Coty.
He added it is more than a “one day deal,” with a goal to make beauty exploration and sharing of looks a central part of Facebook users’ daily interaction with the platform. Coty executives noted that Facebook is selected by 55 percent of its two billion monthly users as a primary source for beauty inspiration.
The latest feature adds to Rimmel’s augmented reality technology “Get the Look,” which allows users to snap and “steal” any style from the streets, social media and magazines. Recently, Coty launched a campaign for Rimmel called Edge Your Look, which celebrates the heritage of the brand’s individuality and self-expression. Edge Your Look dares girls and boys to explore their “edgier sides,” embrace their uniqueness and not comply with traditional beauty rules. The brand’s efforts are expected to resonate with and help lure younger customers to mass market doors.
“With Millennials expected to outspend baby boomers by 2017, it is becoming increasingly important to answer their need for innovative, yet easy to use technology, that makes their purchasing decision more engaging and easier,” said Montse Passolas, global vice president of marketing, Rimmel London. “With our new Facebook Camera Effects, Rimmel is empowering users by allowing them to try out and see new make-up trends and looks on themselves rather than on a model or influencer. This makes it even easier for consumers to pick out shades and styles that best suit their features and complexion.”
Rimmel is hitting a sweet spot in the brow category. According to IRI data for the 52-week period ended May 14 in multiunit doors, its Brow This Way Brow Makeup sales soared 72 percent. A new item, Brow Shake Brow Filling Powder, a lightweight, three-in-one brow powder to fill, define and line brows, could mirror that success, buyers said.
Another new item could help Rimmel muscle its way back to the top of the leader board in mascara where the line has a strong heritage. Eugene Rimmel is said to have commercialized the first mascara in the 19th century, but the brand doesn’t have a mascara in the top 20, according to IRI. However, 10 years of research went into Shake It Fresh Mascara, which the company said features a first-to-market patented shaker system that refreshes the volumizing formula in mascara as needed resulting in longer use. Brand ambassador Cara Delevingne will be featured in the campaign to introduce Shake It Fresh Mascara.