E.l.f.’s Early Bet On Apple Vision Pro Is Promising Mirror of Past Forays
Launching one of the first beauty shopping apps for the Apple Vision Pro serves as a logical next step for e.l.f. Beauty, which has found success as a first mover in consumer engagement techniques.
The company, which joined a series of brands this week in launching experiences for Apple’s much-anticipated headset, has long been a platform pioneer, including TikTok, Triller, and Twitch. E.l.f.’s first Roblox game, for example, has already accumulated more than 4 million plays since launching in November, e.l.f. CEO Tarang Amin reported in their fiscal Q3 earnings call this week.
They’ve also proven to be skilled in harnessing relevant social moments to serve as more than just viral asterisks, and the company has grown marketing investments to 22% of net sales, up from just 7% four years ago.
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“It’s part of our journey to disrupt norms, shape culture, and connect communities through positivity, inclusivity, and accessibility,” Ekta Chorpra, chief digital officer at e.l.f., told CGT, noting the similarities between this Apple Vision Pro mission and the one they brought to Twitch, TikTok, and Roblox.
Their growing dedicated fan base may help here: e.l.f. has amassed more than 4.5 million members in their Beauty Squad loyalty program, up 30% year over year. These members drive nearly 80% of sales on e.l.f.’s website, while the e.l.f. app has been downloaded 1.8 million times, according to CFO Mandy Fields in the earnings call.
The newest Apple experience, known as "Your Best e.l.f.," enables consumers to purchase select e.l.f. products via Apple Pay, as well as interact with the brand via stretching exercises, guided meditation, and an interactive “Paint by Numbers” game.
The cross-functional Apple initiative is being managed by e.l.f.’s digital team, which aligned with the brand and integrated marketing teams to develop the 360 experience, said Chopra. The products featured in the app have been modeled in 3D and display in 4K resolution in the Apple headset.
“This time we created a multi-sensory, immersive visionOS app, with [solution provider] Obsess, where participants can shop while also engaging in relaxing activities to de-stress and focus on being their best self,” she explained.
Noting that Apple Vision Pro is a “new frontier,” Chopra said e.l.f. will measure success through such engagement metrics as visits, interactions, and app downloads.
