Sephora has taken the next step in the evolution of its “We Belong to Something Beautiful” platform with an experiential activation and supporting campaign that harnesses its proprietary “Colour iQ” shade matching technology to showcase what it calls “the many diverse shades of beauty.”
Called “Sephora Illumination powered by Colour iQ,” the activation is “an extension of our new national campaign,” says Allison Litzinger, SVP of marketing for the beauty brand. It is open and free to enter from May 25 through June 1 at 100 Bloor Street West in Toronto, and features an interactive platform from which guests can explore more than 140,000 “Colour iQ” shades. The technology is driven by AI and enables Sephora to match its products more accurately with a wider range of skin tones, and has been used as a complimentary service at all Sephora Canada stores for several years.
“This campaign evolves our ‘We Belong to Something Beautiful’ brand platform, using Colour iQ as a proof point for belonging,” Litzinger says. “What better way to show the inclusivity of our brand than to harness the power of our proprietary technology, to celebrate both our individual and collective Canadian beauty?”
The experiential activation is key to Sephora’s overall strategy because the brand offers “a sensorial beauty experience.”
“Our clients love to touch, feel, play and discover in our stores. We took inspiration from this core of our brand to engage the senses through an immersive installation and connect with consumers on a different level,” explains Litzinger. “We know that today’s consumer values experiences over things, and this is just one of the ways we are meeting them where they are, to create something even more beautiful together.”
The campaign also includes TV, social (including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube) and contextual OOH. Alongside the effort, Sephora has also announced it will donate $140,000 to organizations within its Beauty Insider Charity Rewards program, matching the number of shades reflected in the installation.
The activation was developed by Sephora Canada, with Zulu Alpha Kilo as creative lead, PR by Middle Child and paid media by S1.
