M.A.C. Cosmetics Social Media Outlook

M.A.C. Cosmetics:
Social Media Outlook

Abstract
By expanding its current social media channels and creating new opportunities, M.A.C. Cosmetics can further increase brand awareness and engagement among its already devoted followers.

M.A.C. Cosmetics, known as one of the digitally-forward brands of Estee Lauder Companies, is a company built on successful word-of-mouth from dedicated consumers and well-trained in-store sales representatives.
Sold in more than 70 countries worldwide, M.A.C. boasts the reputation of “world’s largest makeup company.” (A Case Study on M.A.C. Cosmetics: The World 's Leading Makeup Company, 2012) Launched as an independent company, founded among the fashion photography industry for professional makeup artists, models and celebrities, the company boasts the tagline “All races, all sexes, all ages.”
M.A.C. calls advertising in television and digital its highest priorities. (Indvik, 2011) Print is still a big priority, but the advent of growth of social media is changing the mix of advertising and how the company presents its advertising blend.
Over the years, M.A.C. has built a reputation for itself by unconventional and innovative marketing, breaking away from the safe and obvious. Since its philosophy is to create makeup for all ages, sexes and races, it has never shied away from affiliations with controversial artists and personalities. (The M.A.C. Cosmetics Story, 2007)
M.A.C. has been widely heralded for its frequent, multi-platform social media campaigns and boasts more than 4.4 million Facebook fans, more than any other cosmetics brand in the world. (Indvik, 2011)
Despite that, there are glaring deficiencies in M.A.C.’s social media plan, such as the noticeable absence of an authorized branded Twitter handle. Upon visiting the M.A.C. company website, a Twitter badge at the bottom of the home screen takes consumers to “M.A.C. Artist Tweets.” While an important communication channel, as the very industry upon which M.A.C. was founded, the brand itself must position an official Twitter account with new product information, promotions and beauty tips.
There is also opportunity to encourage M.A.C. Cosmetics employees, the primary force behind word-of-mouth advertising among M.A.C. devotees and the “front line” in sales, to garner their own Twitter followers with beauty and fashion tips and industry events. According to social media expert, WaveMetrix, M.A.C. Cosmetics employees currently have gathered more than 160,000 followed combined. (McDougall, 2012)
Even with more than four million Facebook “fans,” followers must be more engaged in the brand. According to Zuum Social, only 0.008 percent of Facebook followers are engaged in the brand through the Facebook page. (M.A.C. Cosmetics Facebook Statistics, 2013)
M.A.C. Cosmetics does have country-specific networks that are important local players like Orkut in Brazil and RenRen in China. (Indvik, 2011) Both country-specific networking and beauty consultant networking follows in what Dennis McEniry, president of Estee Lauder’s online division, calls the company’s “brand-led, locally-communicated,” marketing mix.
By developing a more comprehensive social media campaign, incorporating greater engagement among Facebook followers, a dedicated Twitter brand account and encouraging M.A.C. beauty consultants to engage consumers through social media channels, M.A.C. can better position itself in the social media world.
Adding a Pinterest account to appeal to the visual side of the beauty industry can also be a real asset to the company, by reaching out to consumers for their favorite ideas and presenting new and exciting product and industry developments.
Incorporating an integrated marketing approach across multiple social media platforms can enhance the word-of-mouth nature M.A.C. Cosmetics’ advertising was founded on, just in a bigger, more global arena.
Objectives we will work to obtain through an enhanced social media marketing plan will include: * An increase to 35 percent in fan engagement through the M.A.C. Facebook page, including offering promotions, providing beauty and fashion tips and responding to comments, critiques and questions. * Establish a branded M.A.C. Twitter handle to provide information on the company, products and promotions. Achieve 500,000 followers within six months of creating account. This number is easily attainable by cross-advertising with Facebook fans. * With more than 1,000 store locations worldwide, encourage 50 percent of consultants in each location to engage consumers in their local markets with a personalized M.A.C. Twitter handle or Facebook page. This can encourage a closer relationship between the consultant, brand and customer. * Create a M.A.C. Cosmetics Pinterest account and obtain 100,000 followers. This can be a great way to reach consumers visually with the latest trends and tips. Create customer boards to allow M.A.C. followers to showcase their interests by pinning to it.

References
A Case Study on M.A.C. Cosmetics: The World 's Leading Makeup Company. (2012, December 16). Retrieved from Beauty on a Shoestring Budget: http://ladyrattus.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-case-study-on-mac-cosmetics-worlds.html
Indvik, L. (2011, August 30). How Cosmetics Giant Estee Lauder Leverages Social Media on a Global Scale. Retrieved from Mashable: http://mashable.com/2011/08/30/estee-lauder-social-media/
M.A.C. Cosmetics Facebook Statistics. (2013, January 19). Retrieved from Zuum Social: http://www.zuumsocial.com/facebook/16126780553/MAC%20Cosmetics
McDougall, A. (2012, October 3). M.A.C. turns to employees to provide human touch to social media. Retrieved from Cosmetics Design: http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Market-Trends/MAC-turns-to-employees-to-provide-human-touch-to-social-media
The M.A.C. Cosmetics Story. (2007, November 9). Retrieved from Viral Marketing: http://marketingdope.blogspot.com/2007/11/mac-cosmetics-story.html

References: A Case Study on M.A.C. Cosmetics: The World 's Leading Makeup Company. (2012, December 16). Retrieved from Beauty on a Shoestring Budget: http://ladyrattus.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-case-study-on-mac-cosmetics-worlds.html Indvik, L. (2011, August 30). How Cosmetics Giant Estee Lauder Leverages Social Media on a Global Scale. Retrieved from Mashable: http://mashable.com/2011/08/30/estee-lauder-social-media/ M.A.C. Cosmetics Facebook Statistics. (2013, January 19). Retrieved from Zuum Social: http://www.zuumsocial.com/facebook/16126780553/MAC%20Cosmetics McDougall, A. (2012, October 3). M.A.C. turns to employees to provide human touch to social media. Retrieved from Cosmetics Design: http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Market-Trends/MAC-turns-to-employees-to-provide-human-touch-to-social-media The M.A.C. Cosmetics Story. (2007, November 9). Retrieved from Viral Marketing: http://marketingdope.blogspot.com/2007/11/mac-cosmetics-story.html