A video content hub that enabled Gen Z’s beauty purchases to grew more than
300%*
Box of Emotions is not just a concept, but also a physical space,
where beauty products and trends are explored.
*compared to the development of Sokos total sales between 3.10.23–15.1.24
starting point
How to charm the Gen Z beauty shopper in social media as a traditional brand?
Sokos is a Finnish department store chain with a focus on fashion and beauty. Sokos has a strong brand and is the primary place to buy beauty in certain consumer segments. Its beauty reseller brand Sokos Emotion was considered traditional and falling behind with new challengers constantly entering the beauty market.
In addition to Finnish competitors, also new international players such as Kicks and Lyko had entered the Finnish market with online and physical stores. Sokos Emotion had realized that to stand out in the content world, to be in the field of beauty, they had to do things differently.
The task
To raise the bar in digital content and find Sokos Emotion’s X-factor
Sokos Emotion needed a social media umbrella concept to strengthen its position as a beauty expert and shopping destination in the eyes of the Gen Z target group.
They wanted to create content marketing that is recognizable to them and to raise the bar in digital content. They wanted the concept to evoke emotions, inspire and be surprising - and add value to the brand as a beauty and fashion expert.
1
The concept needed to solve two main challenges:
How to be relevant to the Gen Z target audience with social media content
2
Find a unique way for Sokos Emotion to be present on social media for this target group – to find Sokos Emotion’s X-factor that would make it stand out
Strategy
Being true to the brand and the kind of meaningful role it could have in peoples’ lives.
We made an essential observation that would challenge the brief and shape the strategy in a meaningful way. We didn't set out to make Sokos Emotion something it wasn’t. The strengths of the Sokos brand were easily approachable, for everyone, a trusted brand that you could turn to with fashion or beauty problems that offered help not judgment. We felt that as the brand was not cool nor a trendsetter, it shouldn’t start pretending to be one. Also, it would be next to impossible to credibly compete with the huge global beauty brands and massive beauty influencers in the trendsetting game. However, it was possible to credibly be the trend interpreter. We wanted the concept to feel like you have a trusted beauty expert as a friend.
Insight: Sokos Emotion is your beauty professional friend who takes you by the hand and shows you how to look your best.
concept
The world’s first (pink) beauty fitting room
Box of Emotions is not just a concept, but also a physical space, where beauty products and trends are explored. The pink beauty fitting room is directly inspired by the Sokos Emotion logo, a pink box and therefore directly on brand. The pink box is recognizable and memorable shooting location for social media content, and it will also be utilised in events and product launches in the future.
Content series
Embarrassing revelations related to beauty while the performer, often an influencer, is doing a make-up, skin care or hair routine.
Inspirational and educational content using Sokos Emotion's own beauty professionals as performers. The videos answer customers' questions and explore and advise how to use beauty trends.
Addictive and juicy content playing close-up with makeup and skin care products.
results
A performance nobody dared to expect.
total of
87,8 %
growth in online sales in Gen Z target group
(under 24 year old’s)
27 563
likes
6 224 000
Impressions
1 123
in app saves
9 523
hours watched content
6 000 000
views on Instagram & TikTok
(in a country of < 6M habitants)
Box of Emotions has not only been a huge success in social media, but has also exceeded all expectations in terms of boosting sales.
The first 14 videos produced and distributed in Instagram and TikTok were viewed over
6 million times (in a country of < 6M habitants). We wanted to ensure that the contents work organically and get the visibility they deserve; the organic visibility was 60% higher than the previous year. Channel-specific engagement is an important indicator for Sokos Emotion that the content is interesting; time spent
watching videos and saving them is the ultimate expression of interest.
Its effect on online store sales has already exceeded all expectations in the first measurement period*.
It has succeeded in almost 200% growth in the purchases of under 35-year old’s target group at sokos.fi compared to the previous year. The under 24-year old’s beauty purchases grew more than 300% compared to the development of Sokos' total sales.
...and the story of Box of Emotions has only just begun.
Next the box itself will be featured in events and the department stores and we are launching a Mystery Box of Emotions -product that can be ordered online.
