Brief:

• Hair salon franchiser Great Clips recently launched a Snapchat Lens that lets users virtually try on three "wacky" hairstyles. The augmented reality (AR) overlays can be added to pictures and videos, and shared on the platform along with the Lens, according to a company press release.
• Beginning in early July, customers visiting Great Clips locations in the U.S. and Canada can scan a Snapcode at salon front desks to access the Lens options for 24 hours. In addition, anyone can visit its website to find the Snapcode and unlock the Lenses.
• Great Clips, which has 4,300 salons throughout the U.S. and Canada, has gradually incorporated mobile technology into its services, per the release. Its app now features online check-in, while its Clip Notes feature helps stylists keep track of customer hairstyle preferences.

Insight:

Great Clips seeks to reach teens and young adults with a Snapchat effort that features wacky hairstyles that customers can easily share on the image-messaging platform. The salon chain generally appeals to men over the age of 35, according to Infoscout demographic data, while Snapchat's audience tends to be more popular among young adults and teens. Great Clips appears to be working to attract this younger group with its Snapchat Lens campaign.

As part of the Great Clips effort to reach a male audience, the salon chain in May started a sponsorship with National Hockey League Players' Association and the National Hockey League for the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs. As the official hair salon of the NHL, Great Clips ran a lighthearted campaign called the LegendHairy Greats of the NHL that let fans vote on their favorite "hockey hair" styles.

While Great Clips shows wacky hairstyles in its AR campaign, a number of beauty brands, including L'Oréal, Covergirl and Coty, have recently ramped up their use of AR tech to encourage virtual trial of cosmetics and hair coloring. L'Oréal last month began offering makeup try-ons that combine AR technology and live consultations with a beauty adviser to place recommended products on a shopper's face. Perfect Corp.'s YouCam app introduced a similar service this year, signaling that as digital technology's role in beauty grows, a range of companies are ensuring they are well-positioned to take advantage of the latest innovations and stay top-of-mind among consumers.