Leading BEAUTY RETAILER USES ALWAYS-ON GAMIFICATION
TO SUPERCHARGE APP ACQUISITION

Who are SEPHORA?

SEPHORA offer the latest, most innovative and unique beauty selections for their customers. They work hard to discover the best brands and products across the world, so they can offer their customers the most efficient formulas, inclusive ranges, and environmentally responsible selections. Since SEPHORA landed in the UK in 2022, they has been integrating gamification within their email and app marketing, supercharging customer acquisition, engagement and retention. 

The Challenge?

SEPHORA aimed to acquire more customer traffic to the app and supercharge revenue raised from both their website and app. At first, SEPHORA used gamification only within email, but have since expanded it to their app as well. This should result in boosted revenue opportunities through increased product sales, cross-selling, and higher average order values. SEPHORA also hoped to enhance brand visibility, foster customer loyalty, and collect valuable data for personalising user experiences.

The Strategy

SEPHORA tested out gamification within the app every six weeks, to establish engagement rates from the app vrs CRM alone. Due to the success of gamification,  they incorporated ‘Pay Day’ gamified experiences at the end of every month to re-engage existing customers and drive customers to the website and app. These  experiences are relaunched every pay day with a fresh look every time, which keeps it exciting yet still consistent for their target audience. Customers can find the experiences via email and are lead to the app to enjoy a fun and unique customer journey. Ultimately, SEPHORA experience better customer loyalty and supercharged revenue from these gamified experiences. 

What were the results?

SEPHORA achieved a 27% uplift in revenue share from the app in 2024.  From using gamification to acquire and engage their target audience, SEPHORA has additionally gained a whopping 330% uplift in entries and a 68% uplift from combining their email and app experiences together this past year. Gamification has helped SEPHORA to supercharge customer acquisition, loyalty and engagement. As a result, they have earned a 5 figure revenue from gamification. 

SEPHORA
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Experience in Detail

Solution

SEPHORA’s monthly ‘Pay Day’ experience reactivates customers and drives traffic to their website and app, creating excitement around payday shopping. Each experience is updated with a fresh design, blending novelty with familiarity to keep customers engaged. The interactive game is promoted across multiple channels, including email, push notifications, and the app’s homepage, making it easy for customers to participate. 

Reward Customers Monthly

Rewarding customers monthly helps SEPHORA build stronger customer loyalty by creating consistent engagement and giving them a reason to return to the app and website. It establishes a habit of interaction, keeping the brand top-of-mind while fostering emotional connections through a sense of appreciation. Monthly rewards also drive incremental sales, as customers are more likely to make additional purchases to take advantage of offers or qualify for incentives. Furthermore, it has provided SEPHORA opportunities to gather valuable customer data and refine personalisation strategies.

Through combining their email and app experiences, SEPHORA are now able to remind their target audience of their products through email and then drive acquisition and engagement to the app with gamification. This taps into their customers competitive nature and also into their need for consistency and comfort, due to the relaunch of the same type of experience every month. 

Gain A Competitive Edge

Recurring payday experiences give brands like SEPHORA a competitive edge by aligning with customers’ spending patterns during a high-disposable-income period. These experiences create a sense of anticipation and exclusivity, encouraging customers to engage with the brand regularly. The gamified nature of such campaigns fosters excitement and loyalty, making SEPHORA stand out in a crowded market. Additionally, by consistently driving traffic to their app and website, SEPHORA can deepen customer relationships, collect valuable insights, and maintain a prominent position in customers’ minds, ensuring they choose SEPHORA over competitors.

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uplift from target revenue share
+ 0 %
Experience Entries
+ 0 %
since combining CRM & App experiences
+ 0 %

SEPHORA has effectively used gamification to surpass its digital revenue share targets on app for 2024 (+27%). Through creative and engaging gamified experiences, SEPHORA has successfully driven significant traffic to its digital platforms while fostering customer loyalty and deeper engagement. These experiences, tailored to align with customer behaviour and spending habits, create excitement and anticipation, encouraging regular interaction with the brand. By consistently refreshing their campaigns and promoting them via email, push notifications, and the app’s homepage, SEPHORA ensures they remain fresh, engaging, and easily accessible to their audience.

The results of this approach have been outstanding. Over the past year, SEPHORA has achieved a 330% increase in entries and a 68% uplift in performance by combining email and app experiences. This cohesive multichannel strategy has strengthened customer relationships, making each interaction rewarding and memorable. Gamification has not only enhanced customer acquisition but also fostered long-term loyalty, encouraging repeat engagement and purchases. As a result, SEPHORA has seen a significant boost in revenue, generating a five-figure return from these efforts and demonstrating the effectiveness of gamification as a core element of their strategy.

By embracing gamification, SEPHORA has established itself as an industry innovator, setting a benchmark in the beauty retail sector. These campaigns have not only delivered immediate financial gains but also reinforced their position as a customer-focused brand, creating a competitive edge that ensures SEPHORA remains a preferred choice for beauty enthusiasts. The combination of entertainment, value, and engagement has solidified gamification as a key driver of their digital success.

 

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