Tesco kicks off 12-month focus on beauty category with online blogger consultations
Tesco has teamed up with a number of beauty bloggers to offer online consultations through Google+ Hangouts as part of a year-long drive to establish the category within its stores.
The activity was developed by the grocery’s digital agency, Zone, as part of its ongoing remit to increase customer engagement and build brand loyalty for the grocer.
Consumers will be able to book free, confidential 15-20 minute consultations through a video link to beauty, make-up, skincare and hair bloggers via the Tesco Beauty Hub at Tesco Living.
After each session, they will receive an email from the beauty expert, who will be under no obligation to recommend products from the Tesco range, with a product overview and recommendations.
Speaking to The Drum, Tesco head of marketing & Strategy for BBT, Mark Baxter, said this is the “first step” in a bid to grow the Beauty at Tesco brand in-store and online.
“From an overall perspective, the [grocery] sector is really challenging at the moment. But against that backdrop, beauty is actually performing really well and online sales for beauty are growing,” he explained.
While Baxter declined to detail the planned activity for the coming year he said it will see social media activity ramped up, the introduction of new apps and platforms, and technology will be integrated more in-store.
The blogger partnerships established for the Beauty Consultation campaign will also be extended elsewhere as it looks to develop more content.
“We’re trying to make it easier and more convenient, to provide our shoppers with the products they need and services they need in-store. But, [people] are on mobile phones looking at reviews, products, and talking on Facebook. So this tie with beauty and technology is absolutely paramount.”
Baxter added that based on the response to the campaign, Tesco will look to widen its own beauty range, BD, and potentially work with more brand partners.
The Online Beauty Consultations are the second launch from the Tesco and Google partnership brokered by Zone. Last July, they used Google’s Connected Classrooms to host the UK’s first Online Field Trips for primary school children nationwide.