PROM DIVE

CRAFTED FOR: ULTA BEAUTY

CULTURAL DIVE | PROACTIVE THINKING

Everything is different for teens these days, and yet, prom still feels like a nostalgic time capsule.

Hmmm… That’s odd.

 

As the brand that stands for possibilities, there’s no better moment for Ulta Beauty to show up than prom. It’s the one night for teens around the world where reality is suspended, and anything is possible.

This dive is a proactive effort spearheaded by yours truly. To help the brand get ahead of prom season, here’s what I did:

  • Played Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour album on repeat for 72 hours, in which she wrote about her prom insecurities, hopes, and dreams, to read between her lyrics for insights about the prom experience

  • Conducted social listening on TikTok, digging through hundreds of prom transitions, sounds, and trends to understand the modern prom experience

  • Scouted through teenage’s secret platforms for their truest and deepest thoughts, including Tumblr, VSCO, and… Shein’s review section.

The Objective.

Put Ulta Beauty at the heart of beauty culture — prom season.

Debuting your prom transformation used to happen when you stepped out of the limo and walked into the party. But thanks to TikTok, teens are now buzzing over prom long before the big night. Beauty is, of course, at the heart of all of these conversations on TikTok, from #MissisippiProm to #promtransition, prom content amasses millions of view every year.

As magical as prom can be, it doesn’t come without its own set of problems. How can Ulta Beauty play a role in making it the night full of possibilities, instead of… promblems?

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