China's anti-Valentine's Day event, dubbed Singles’ Day, has encouraged uncoupled Chinese citizens to splurge on themselves since 2009. Also known as Double 11, the event happens annually on November 11, and last year alone, more than 290,000 brands participated in the holiday, offering over 14MM deals. This year, Maybelline New York launched a limited-edition virtual universe dubbed Rhythm City, celebrating Singles’ Day, on Tmall.
Rhythm City enables users to explore new experiences within the beauty industry, finding makeup inspiration through virtual reality. Maybelline New York's virtual global spokesmodels, South Korean band Itzy, are also on hand for the online experience, guiding users through the digital landscape. Itzy has been working with the cosmetics company since April of this year, with Maybelline New York's Global Brand President Trisha Ayyagari describing the group as “champions of self-love, individuality, and self-expression.”
Within Rhythm City, some of Maybelline New York's best-selling product offerings, including the Fit Me Pro Foundation, will be computerized, securing their place in the metaverse. Across the world, visitors will be able to engage in different activities that promote the brand's products, with elements of play displaying the brand's tone of voice effectively to the consumer throughout their computerized adventure. Maybelline New York has also built an in-person live broadcast room, inviting users to explore the metaverse through a 360-degree view, which offers immersive shopping experiences.
The temporary world has been created to connect Maybelline consumers with the metaverse, providing a platform that allows them to grasp the future of beauty. The brand has created this virtual reality experience to connect with younger consumer groups, and they have chosen the perfect holiday to do so, as last year, more than 45% of consumers who purchased items during Singles’ Day were born in the '90s and '00s.
Rhythm City will allow Maybelline consumers to "break the dimensional wall, and play with makeup without boundaries," a message which coincides with Alibaba Group Chief Marketing Officer Chris Tung’s belief that the holiday should "promote inclusiveness to consumers, merchants, and partners across our ecosystem."
As Maybelline New York finds new and innovative ways to incorporate beauty into its consumers' everyday lives, both online and offline, it is clear the brand values its customers beyond closing a sale. The Singles’ Day celebration comes shortly after Maybelline's collaboration with Time Out, which saw the brand encourage users to get back into the world and date. By offering its younger audience various ways to get involved with its brand, Maybelline New York is sure to progress its credibility as a committed business that puts their consumer first; a recipe for success in today's demanding industry.
