Reel beauty: Meta eyes India’s engagement of platforms for fashion

23 Nov 2023 --- In a digital era accelerating trends in beauty and fashion, Meta platforms are taking center stage. Two studies commissioned by the Facebook owner explore the evolving landscape of India’s beauty and fashion industries, further examining the role of Meta platforms, especially Instagram Reels, in brand and product discovery.

The studies encompass responses from over 4,000 participants aged 16 to 64 living across Indian cities. The research reveals the vast majority of Indian beauty and fashion enthusiasts, 92% and 97%, respectively, discover new brands on Meta platforms, especially on Instagram Reels.

“The insights reveal the extent to which immersive technologies such as AR and content creators are disrupting India’s expanding beauty and fashion industries. Both beauty and fashion verticals are growing strongly on Meta platforms, and an increasing number of advertisers from these verticals are turning to Instagram Reels for engagement and business growth,” comments Meghna Apparao, director of E-commerce and Retail for Meta in India.

Instagram reels: The discovery engine
Instagram Reels emerges as a powerhouse for brand discovery, with one in three of beauty consumers and 39% of fashion consumers making purchases after engaging with content on this platform.Instagram Reels emerged as a powerful tool for brand discovery in the beauty and fashion sectors.

Moreover, the studies underline the surge in online shopping for beauty and fashion products, with key motivations being deals or discounts, convenience and favorable ratings or reviews.

For beauty buyers, 41% prioritize deals, while 40% shop online for convenience.

The appeal of AR is evident, with 75% of beauty and 78% of fashion consumers expressing that virtual product try-ons encourage them to make online purchases.

Indian content creators pose significant influence, with seven out of ten beauty content viewers and two out of three fashion content viewers relying on Indian influencers for authentic information and reviews. Interestingly, a lack of reviews is equivalent to negative ones.

As India’s digital economy skyrockets, these insights provide a strategic compass for beauty brands. The data equips them to craft marketing campaigns that resonate with consumers, creating meaningful connections and driving key business outcomes.

Eyes on India
Economic opportunities are evident with India’s GDP growing 7% last year. The Fashion Institute of Technology believes the country has one of the best-performing economies, projected to be the world’s third-largest economy by 2030. 

Further, Southeast Asia and India are poised to be the next “gold rush” in luxury beauty, reaching a market potential of US$7.6 billion by 2026, with a projected 11% CAGR between 2021 and 2031. This growth is expected to continue, with the market size almost tripling in ten years.

Indian content creators play a pivotal role as influencers in shaping consumer decisions in beauty.Taking note of this trajectory, the Estée Lauder Companies boosted India’s beauty start-up ecosystem. Meanwhile, Unilever spotlighted the nation as one of the “world’s fastest-growing markets” for consumer goods, highlighting that its business in India is present in nine out of ten households.

Burgeoning personalized solutions
Another report by Sia Partners found consumers are six times more likely to buy personalized cosmetics online than in physical stores. “Virtual try-on removes the final barriers to purchase and allows customers to benefit from an experience like the one in store,” says Thomas Graffagnino, managing director of Transport, Manufacturing and Retail at Sia Partners.

Furthermore, the latest report from beauty platform Revieve highlighted that 22% of consumers are drawn to virtual shopping and immersive encounters, and retailers have responded to this by expanding their digital presence. Meanwhile, 81% of retailers plan to enhance their online presence next year.

Google has been enabling the virtual transition with its AR beauty tools launch, enabling shoppers to try on hair color and foundations on mobile browsers virtually, while brands can promote their products with beauty advertisements.

With the explosion of Big Data, cosmetic brands are taking hyper-personalization beyond the end product with introductions within curated shopping experiences. For instance, this month, Shiseido inaugurated its first store in Mumbai, India. The Japanese beauty giant unveiled the Skin Visualizer — a touch-free device that instantly measures and visualizes the current condition of beauty circulation.

By Venya Patel