Pop-Ups Are the New PR Trips
Why are beauty companies spending over $128.35 billion on pop-ups and immersive marketing projects? Is it worth it, especially in Paris?
The Evolution of Social Media Marketing
Ah, the 2010s, an era of millennials, PR trips and YouTube vlogs featuring "day in the life" or "get ready with me" videos. Remember the infamous PR trips, more specifically the Tarte trips? Here the word "trips" isn't just a reference to vacations but a marketing strategy designated to generate content about the launch of a new collection.
Brands such as Tarte are known to send influencers in remote locations like Bora Bora or the Maldives in matching sweat sets to showcase their new aesthetics. Tarte's CEO, Maureen Kelly stated, "Almost 10 years ago we set out to create an intimate bonding environment to do just that, and #trippingwithtarte was born." The goal was to sell this fantasy on YouTube, however, this concept would not work as well in targeting Generation Z after the launch of TikTok.
Fast forward to today's modern marketing landscape, where TikTok has become a powerhouse platform and a bridge connecting consumers to brands. TikTok dominates YouTube and stimulates creative advertisements. As e-commerce makes up a huge part of sales channels, brands need to start switching to savvy techniques to capture the attention of the younger generation. One way is making the advertisement seem more natural and less like an advertisement. What that means is posting content that does not have a traditional structure with a content creator sitting in front of the camera and raving about all the benefits when utilizing the product.
Instead, brands come up with unique ways to mention the brand, whether it is simply in the background of a video or creating a montage of the brand's message. Presence in video content is what gets the younger generation to invest in products. Sources show the mass difference of monthly active users on both TikTok and YouTube in 2023, with YouTube with around 3 million people, compared to TikTok with a whopping 1.59 billion monthly active users, TikTok is coming in hot!
PR trips are labeled as luxurious getaways that provide an immersive experience for the content creators, generating buzz-worthy content to attract their audience and make sure they are in the loop. Before these trips became popular, traditional press tours allowed journalists to gather media exposure and write about brands in their magazines. Let's preface, PR trips still exist, but they always lack one key element: an integration of their clientele through a hands-on approach. These trips might look gorgeous, but they ultimately leave fans feeling more envious and excluded, longing for an experience they are unlikely to get. Currently, pop-ups are gaining more attention, changing the marketing game with direct customer engagement rather than celebrity promotions.
What are Pop-Ups?
Pop-ups are interactive events that appear in unexpected locations worldwide, aiming to generate excitement about their new launch or grabbing new customers. From Paris to New York City, pop-ups exist everywhere, all with their own special touch. These get to show the fans the brand's identity and its message firsthand.
In 2024, the marketing world unlocked many unique pop-ups in picturesque destinations, like JACQUEMUS in Saint-Tropez. Others promoted collaborations such as the Benefit Cosmetics X Selfridges pop-up in London. Fans from all age groups are now able to get the "free goodies" their favorite influencers received as well.
Brands are now steering towards the idea of inclusivity through experiential marketing. You'll find small Gen Alphas scurrying around, snapping pictures to post on Snapchat, asking with soft puppy eyes for their parents to buy them new products. Alongside the Gen Alphas are older generations browsing leisurely, posing questions to employees to get a feel of the brand and becoming inspired. Whether it is in a random city or their cherished spot, customers of all ages wear expressions of excitement and curiosity.
A city full of love, art and history can simultaneously be a city of modernized concept stores, boho coffee shops and a hub for popular pop-ups. Take a look at KUN Café and Innisfree, a South Korean skincare brand, hosting a two-day pop-up earlier this month, right by the historic Palais Garnier. With every purchase in the café, whether it was an Iced Black Sesame Latté or a Matcha Tiramisu, customers earned a free full-size skincare product. With long lines each day filled with eager clients, the KUN Café x Innisfree collaboration gained so much attention that on its last day, it completely sold out of all Innisfree products by the afternoon. This demonstrates that Paris is a prime example of how successful marketing campaigns can effectively engage their fans.
Let's not forget how public transportation in cities like Paris allows pop-up customers to visit multiple events in one day. That is what Lily Soto, a freshman at AUP, did on a beautiful Saturday!
Day of Pop-Ups
On Saturday, January 18th, 2025, Lily woke up to watch TikTok and discover two exciting pop-ups. Her first stop was the Yves Saint-Laurent Beauty pop-up in the 2nd Arrondissement. The space included fuchsia fluorescent lighting, white sleek stands, glossy panels and miniature disco balls dazzling the walls. It showcased YSL's new collection of blushes, designed to enhance the skin with a chic Parisian glow. Shades like "Coral Luxe" and "Rose Éclat" delivered a radiant, rosy finish. She was greeted with goodie bags filled with mascara samples and the brand's popular perfume, Black Opium. The experience included four tokens: two for games, one for a "spin the wheel" to win a free perfume sample, and one for a raffle to win a mascara. The remaining two tokens could be used for refreshments, such as a small coffee or hot cocoa paired with a flavored marshmallow. A professional makeup session was also available.
"I can't believe that I got to try out the new blush collection and get free products! How is this even real?" Lily exclaimed joyfully.
Her second stop stood next to the grand dome-shaped department store, Galeries Lafayette, which featured a trending Sephora and Tarte collaboration. Picture a life-sized Shape Tape Concealer mascot prancing around, greeting you with a full-size Maracuja Lip Plump. Tarte promoted their new Creaseless Setting Powder, ensuring smooth and brightened undereyes. Lilac displays of the new collection, a coffee bar serving blush-pink strawberry meringues and another free makeup session were just a few of the seemingly infinite features of this pop-up. Maybe Tarte trips are out and Tarte pop-ups are in!
With the help of makeup gurus' honest reviews and reposts of creator's videos, the pop-up started gaining attention. It started out with Jeffree Star, the renowned American makeup artist and owner of Jeffree Star Cosmetics, posting a TikTok review of the new powder in July. He started the video by discussing Tarte's "rocky road" in makeup history, highlighting the contrast between its infamous concealer and the failure of its foundation due to its limited shade range. This established his credibility, encouraging viewers to trust his industry expertise. After applying the product and demonstrating its consistency, he concluded the TikTok by saying, “I am a fan of this product! I am a little shook, it’s been on for hours.” Kicking off the product with a positive review from a notoriously tough makeup critic created a strong sales opportunity, especially after thousands of content creators reposted his video.
A quick TikTok search for "Tarte Sephora Pop Up Paris", floods the screen with a huge quantity of videos of users sharing their experiences at this pop-up and all the goodies offered!
What Do These Brands Have to Say?
Behind these beauty brands, there is an interesting narrative regarding why they invest so much thought and effort to share this experience. YSL Beauty US general manager spoke in last September with Glossy about its 8-day excursion in East Hampton explaining the purpose: "[We use] them to make people feel a part of the YSL Beauty lifestyle and the YSL Beauty community." The founder of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty spoke about her new fragrance pop-up in London to promote her new perfume collection which features a kaleidoscope of scents, each designed to engage a different sense as visitors move from room to room. According to World Branding Forum, Tilbury stated, "My fragrances are designed for everyone, a culmination of world-renowned perfumers' expertise, cutting-edge technology, insights from neuroscience, four decades of research, and an extraordinary sympathy of ingredients." As brands' key focus is to fuel purchasing power to their fans with inclusivity and face-to-face interactions, the outcome of this evolution is providing an increase in marketing strategies.
Beyond the free gifts, pop-ups connect everyone! They offer a unique opportunity to meet new people, especially after moving to a new city, fostering friendships and opening doors to networking. The pop-up concept has revived the industry and redefined experiential marketing to make the intimidating city look more welcoming and colorful. It serves as a magnifying glass for brands to see you and cater to your desires.
