Benefit Cosmetics has created an innovative virtual media campaign to highlight the launch of its latest mascara. 

To mark the release of They’re Real! Magnet Mascara, the beauty brand teamed up with Because UK to create the unique campaign, which utilises Virtual Atoms (VAs) to create an immersive experience.

After signing up and dropping a pin to indicate their location, fans are able to use their phone camera to view and collect Benefit’s ‘magnetic surprises’ that appear in their space. Each item they collect will be stored in their vAtom wallet and can then be used to spin-and-win some “powerfully attractive” instant prizes such as virtual beauty consultations, full-size and mini mascaras and product discounts.

Benefit has also partnered with beauty influencers who will share exclusive content showcasing the product on the VA platform, and promote the campaign with their 1.4m strong Instagram community to ensure a seamless mobile experience.

Ella Pearn, Digital Manager, Benefit Cosmetics UK & Ireland, says: “COVID-19 has greatly impacted our traditional experiential model and has meant that we needed to navigate and cater to an entirely new beauty shopping and engagement journey. We have had to completely re-think how to engage with our customer and meaningfully insert ourselves into their life. Our focus was to connect the online and offline experience seamlessly, ensuring physical and virtual omnipresence, encouraging customer involvement and exploration at every touchpoint.

“Working with Because on this project has been an absolute delight. They understood the challenges that we faced not being able to execute our biggest launch to-date in our usual way, our need for full digital integration into the experiential strategy and were able to provide a solution using their cutting-edge vAtom technology. Because understood the importance of our brand DNA, which has shaped the look and feel of this campaign, whilst keeping the storytelling of our unique launch innovation at its heart. This has enabled us to connect with our customers in their own homes in a unique, fun, and engaging Benefit way.”

They’re Real! Extreme Lengthening and Powerful Lifting Magnet Mascara offers 36 hour wear and leaves lashes looking up to 40%. Longer. The Extender Brush with magnetically charged core pulls the Magenetic Minreral Enriched Formula up and out beyond the lash tips for extreme length and powerful lift.