September 29 , 2009

Interactive website declares war on acne
Cosmetics company embraces social media

Marcelle Cosmetics is embracing the technology that speaks to today’s teenagers and young adults, aged 15 to 27, by launching a social engagement campaign to promote a new skincare line for acne-prone skin called AC-Solution Anti-Imperfections.

Research has indicated that young adults spend more time online than they do watching television or reading magazines. They are turning to social networks, blogs, and YouTube for their primary source of information and entertainment. As the first online generation, technology is embedded into everything they do. Marcelle’s new webseries campaign was developed with this in mind.

The seven-episode Web TV event, called In Your Face, is based on the fictitious lives of two college roommates living in Montreal.  Each episode was designed with tongue-in-cheek humour, following the girls’ everyday lives that include an everlasting pimple with a personality of its own. The first two episodes are now available online and will be followed by a new episode each week until October 29 th.  Over the next few weeks, viewers will be asked to participate in episode scripts by sending in suggested lines for the characters and plot angles.

“Social media is a medium that can’t be ignored when reaching out to young adults”, says Isabel P. Picard, public and consumer relations director, Groupe Marcelle. “With the launch of the AC-Solution line, our goal was to not only inform them of the new line geared to acne prone skin, but to engage them in conversation about the common trials of young adulthood. Sometimes a little humour goes a long way.”

To encourage participation in the content of the webseries, Groupe Marcelle will be giving away four cash prizes of $250 to those that submit the best angles and themes for the episodes, and two cash prizes of $500 to those that submit the best lines for the characters. There will be one grand prize of $3,000 awarded to the best submission of an original episode.