Amid a backdrop of increased audio streaming among consumers, Estée Lauder has partnered with Spotify on a voice-activated campaign to promote the new iteration of its Advanced Night Repair serum, which the brand launched in August.
The campaign includes a voice-activated sampling program that lets listeners request a sample of Estée Lauder’s new product, making it the first of its kind on Spotify. Those with a free Spotify subscription can use their Google Home to request a sample of Advanced Night Repair.
Users can also create a personalized playlist to complement their nighttime skincare routines. Each playlist, which is based on the user’s Spotify streaming history via a customized microsite, will feature calming sounds and short audio messages that speak to the importance of a nighttime skincare regimen. The playlists will refresh weekly.
In-person beauty try-ons, which are key drivers of skincare and makeup purchases, ground to a near halt when the crisis hit and authorities ordered nonessential businesses to close.
In response, many brands have pivoted to virtual try-on experiences to recreate the offline shopping experience for beauty enthusiasts. Nevertheless, McKinsey found that the beauty industry will decline by 30-35 percent this year.
By the end of March, Estée Lauder’s quarterly sales declined by 11 percent to $3.35 billion and profits decreased 14 percent. During the brand’s fiscal fourth quarter, which ended June 30, skincare sales increased by three percent despite makeup sales dropping by 61 percent.
After an initial slump brought on by the pandemic, Spotify’s Q2 revenue grew 11.1 percent year-over. At the end of Q2, Spotify had 299 million monthly active users (MAUs) and 138 million paying subscribers, according to the Wall Street Journal. The company will release its Q3 2020 earnings tomorrow.
