The secret to a successful pop-up
Sophie Pitt
With 47% of shoppers seeking more immersive, entertainment-driven retail options, there's plenty of demand for experiences that go beyond simple transactions - and brands that respond with engaging activations are expected to benefit from this growing trend.
This concept is particularly popular across beauty, with more and more brands hosting activations like pop-ups to entice consumers and drive brand awareness, engagement and sales.
From a grocery-themed pop-up by Benefit Cosmetics and spa experience by Debenhams to an ice cream parlour by Saie and Barbie-themed beach house by NYX Professional Makeup, these activations are not only frequent but often unique too.
TheIndustry.beauty takes an in-depth look at the benefits of pop-ups and what beauty businesses should consider when developing these concepts, with exclusive commentary from Beauty Pie, VIEVE, Glow For It and Jo Malone London, as well as James Barnes, co-founder and business director at creative agency Backlash, on the secrets to a successful pop-up.
Jo Malone London opened a pop-up in London and Edinburgh for the festive season.
The benefits of pop-ups
With many pop-ups taking place over the past few years, it's no secret that these experiences are proving successful for beauty brands and retailers - there wouldn't be so many of them otherwise. But how exactly are they beneficial?
Beauty pop-ups are typically more about disruption than just a simple retail moment, creating innovative experiences that drive discussion and subsequently a line of eager visitors waiting to encounter something special. Different brands will have different priorities, but each experience will be largely underpinned by the desire to boost brand awareness, engagement and sales.
For brands like Jo Malone London, which already have an online and in-store presence, these activations drive further engagement with customers, offering a unique experience for fans of the brand to shop a selection of products. The British fragrance brand recently opened a pop-up in London and Edinburgh, bringing its festive storytelling, seasonal scents, and array of gifts to customers ahead of Christmas.
Speaking about its benefits, Rachel Baker, Vice President General Manager of Jo Malone London UK & ROI, told TheIndustry.beauty: "Christmas is the most magical time at Jo Malone London. This year we wanted to invite our consumers to step inside The Jo Malone London Christmas Show, an immersive pop-up experience offering theatre and elevated storytelling beyond our normal retail environment.
"We have a strong existing retail presence in both London and Edinburgh but knew that footfall increases dramatically in both locations over the festive season, abuzz with Christmas shoppers and travelling consumers. As convenience is becoming the new luxury in all our lives, it is necessary to be where our consumers are and at the exact moment that they have the need for our product.
"The recent pop-ups seamlessly merged experience with product, providing a one-stop-shop for a fun day out with friends and family whilst offering the perfect opportunity to purchase a gift for everyone on your list."
Debenhams landed at the Aire Ancient Baths, offering a number of treatments to showcase the beauty brands available at the online retailer.
Pop-ups are also effective for online-only brands, allowing them to connect with consumers beyond a screen.
Bridging the gap between digital and physical retail, these experiences give online brands and retailers the opportunity to ignite sales, boost visibility, and connect with customers in a multichannel approach. It allows them to build loyalty and move beyond online interactions, while also testing brick-and-mortar retail to understand how a physical presence might fit within their growth strategy.
"Pop-ups are a tactical form of marketing to create a physical brand experience," explains Barnes. "If you're a brand or retailer that doesn't have a store, then a pop-up allows you to create a flagship space."
Beauty Pie opened a pop-up in London, inviting consumers to "unwrap a new way to shop for high-end beauty".
This was certainly the case for Beauty Pie, which recently welcomed beauty enthusiasts to a festive pop-up in London's Mayfair. Spotlighting the online retailer's 2024 gifting collection, the activation featured a selection of indulgent beauty gifts and hero products across skincare, makeup, fragrance and bodycare, with the option to buy online on the day and enjoy free express shipping.
"As a membership-led brand that prides itself on the member experience, connecting with our community in real life is the number one priority for us with pop-ups," a spokesperson for Beauty Pie told TheIndustry.beauty.
"Pop-ups allow us to introduce our brand to new audiences, whether that be consumers who are aware of the brand but haven’t yet been convinced to become a member or consumers who are totally new to us. Being able to see and test our products in real life and put into context the amazing quality we offer without the luxury price tag is something that we know prospective members really value.
"Our Holiday Party Pop-Up was all about showcasing our limited-edition gifting collection, not only giving members the opportunity to see, swatch and sniff the range but also a chance to shop in person. We also had a lot of our core skincare, makeup and fragrance on display so that customers could test products and speak to beauty experts to get advice. Alongside the opportunity to test and shop, we hosted evening events such as a live podcast, a fragrance masterclass and a Q&A with our founder to give members additional ways to experience the brand in person."
Similarly, TikTok viral beauty brand Glow For It hosted its first pop-up last month. Guests had the opportunity to shop its existing product range in person for the first time, as well as exclusive products. With the brand's growing popularity online, it's perhaps no surprise that it went well!
"As an online brand, pop-ups provide us with a unique opportunity to engage with our community of loyal customers in a totally different and immersive way," explains Daisy Kelly, founder and CEO of Glow For It.
"We’re proud to be a successful online brand, but it’s important not to underestimate the significance of human connection. Connecting with consumers offline allows us to bridge the gap between digital and physical and allows for personal engagement and trust-building. Not only can customers see, touch, and experience products firsthand, but we also get to observe their reactions and obtain direct feedback, which is really important to us.
"Pop-ups also give us the opportunity to showcase some incredible limited-edition products and merchandise, creating a buzz and excitement around these, while simultaneously driving sales and brand awareness."
Driving brand awareness isn't just important to online brands though, with many others using pop-ups to reach new and existing customers in areas they're less active in. Take VIEVE, for example, a Scottish makeup brand that has both an online and in-store presence through various retailers.
In addition to hosting pop-ups in its hometown of Glasgow, Jamie Genevieve’s VIEVE ventured further afield last summer with its first roadshow, visiting four different locations. Why? To drive brand awareness and engagement across the UK, all while celebrating its "biggest launch to date".
VIEVE visited four locations across the UK in August and September.
Emma Dawson, CEO of VIEVE, tells TheIndustry.beauty: "We’re so proud of the pop-ups we’ve hosted, from our Glasgow events to our London pop-up and the roadshow.
"Each one has been designed to bring VIEVE to life in a way that feels truly personal for our community, while showcasing the evolution of the brand and our product range. These aren’t just retail spaces, they’re a chance for us to connect with our customers, celebrate the brand, and create moments that are both memorable and meaningful."
So, what makes a successful pop-up?
Where & When
Pop-ups are meant to be temporary environments for brands to have fun with and provide a generous, exciting, and unique experience to shoppers. There are a few factors to consider when selecting a location for your pop-up, including footfall and the demographics of the area.
A particularly popular location with many brands and retailers is London's Covent Garden. "Where else in central London can you hire such a big space?" asks Barnes. "Brands like the premium environment of the area, and the retail mix in Covent Garden is very controlled."
However, it's not uncommon for brands to hire out spaces in other locations across London too, from empty units to standalone installations in shopping centres. "Similar to Covent Garden, the footfall is always going to be there in locations like shopping centres. For example, the Westfields are still really important to the beauty industry, as there's confidence in being able to deliver footfall," says Barnes.
Although it may seem like it, it's also not always about London. Pop-ups located in other UK cities are often a smart choice for pop-ups too. "Any experiential activity outside of London is great, and you often get a better reception because they don't happen as often," adds Barnes.
However, location isn't the only factor to consider - timing is also important. Seasonal events are a big driver for pop-ups, with many themed activations hosted around Christmas, Valentine's Day, and the summer holidays. Popular cultural moments, such as new movie releases like Barbie or Wicked, also offer an exciting way to engage with consumers, as well as brand moments like new launches, allowing for a more focused experience.
"There’s a lot of obvious points to consider such as budget and logistics, but for us the location and timing were both critical factors for consideration," says Kelly, reflecting on Glow For It's latest pop-up on Connaught Street in London
"We knew that we wanted our first pop-up to coincide with the Christmas retail period so that we could make the most of the gifting season in terms of driving sales and awareness of our limited-edition products. We also chose a venue in one of the busiest areas in central London in terms of footfall – close by to major retailers, as we felt that this would amplify its impact. Following on from this pop-up, we’ve already asked our customers where in the UK they would like to see us next so that we can repeat the success of this event in other locations across the country."
CeraVe opened a pop-up at Westfield London in April.
What do you want to achieve?
When conceptualising these experiences, it's also integral to think about what you're trying to achieve. As mentioned previously, different brands will have different priorities, but it's always important to consider the consumer. They'll be the ones visiting your pop-up, after all.
"You've got to think about consumer - how are you going to give them a great time? Is that through education, entertainment, excitement, value? I would say fashion brands tend to prioritise more of a retail experience, whereas beauty offers more of a brand experience," notes Barnes.
Supporting this, Kelly adds: "Another important factor for us was the ‘why?’. Why are we doing this in the first place What did we hope to achieve? For us, this was all about deciding how best to engage with our community and give something back to them so that they know we appreciate them being part of our incredible journey."
A powerful creative concept
If you're a regular reader of TheIndustry.beauty, you'll know pop-ups are a very common occurrence in the beauty industry. But with so many happening, how do you stay ahead of the curve and offer an unmissable experience?
Innovation. Beauty brands and retailers are really pushing the boundaries of creativity and interactions with consumers. So, whether it's exclusive products, freebies, events with special guests, or a particularly unique design, pop-ups are getting more and more innovative.
"Having a powerful creative concept is hugely beneficial, probably more so than location, because if the concept sounds super exciting, people will travel to wherever you are to visit it. Brands always think it's location, location, location, but it's also concept, concept, concept," says Barnes.
NYX Professional Makeup served up a slice of beach paradise with its Barbie-themed pop-up last year.
"Consumers like experiences and they're hungry to capture content and do cool things, so pop-ups play into that really well. These experiences are about disruption, people want to be surprised and delighted."
Agreeing with this, Dawson adds: "It's about more than just where you are, the design must be warm, welcoming, and easy to shop, and we work with an amazing production team who help us bring our vision to life. We also aim to give customers plenty of reasons to visit (and revisit), whether that’s exclusive services, products or experiences. We put as much effort into our pop-ups as we would into a permanent store because every customer interaction matters."
Another way to achieve this is through partnerships. How can you bring in different brands to strengthen the experience?
Whether that's bringing in a food and beverage partner - think Jo Loves' summer pop-up in partnership with Snowflake Gelato - or a brand teaming up with a retailer - think Sol de Janeiro's various pop-ups with Sephora and Lookfantastic. There are plenty of ways to bolster the pop-up experience with partnerships, so get creative and consider what can add value.
As Barnes suggests: "It's all about giving consumers a great time." So, how are you going to achieve this? A question many beauty businesses should consider in 2025 as pop-ups continue to dominate throughout the year and beyond.
““The future of beauty marketing isn’t just about selling perfect skin; it’s about selling a moment, a feeling, a story. Those who master this art will lead the industry.””
