Procter & Gamble's Olay brand is leveraging Apple?s iAd network to help the cosmetic giant promote a new line of skincare products.

The iAd campaign comprises video and rich media to encourage consumers to buy the company?s products. Olay has used mobile advertising in the past to bolster product awareness and sales.

"Beauty brands are served well by giving options to women to better their choice of product," said Marci Troutman, CEO of SiteMinis, Atlanta.

"With the Olay brand, they have done an amazing job with anti-aging products and have built a trust in women that enables an iAd campaign such as this one to gain lift," she said.

Ms. Troutman is not associated with Olay. She commented based on her expertise on the subject.

Olay did not respond to press enquiries.

Mobile beauty
The mobile ads promote Olay?s Total Effects CC Cream, which is a line of color control products that claim to fight signs of aging and range in price from $10-20.

The mobile banner ad features animation that scrolls through different pieces of copy.

The ad reads, ?A simple equation for flawlessly beautiful skin. What?s your style equation??

When users tap on the ad, reviews from brands such as Birchbox and Cosmopolitan magazine splash across the screen.

From there, a page featuring a large photo of the product is brought up.

There are two options for how consumers can interact with the ad. They can either take a short quiz to find their perfect style or they can click-through to Olay?s mobile site to shop.

Three style options ? classic glam, ready to rock and effortless chic ? let users pick how they want to customize their look.

Once users click on a look, they can view recommended pieces of clothing to wear with Olay?s Total Effects CC Cream.

Additionally, a button below lets consumers view two videos on spring style.

Compared to how marketers use Apple?s iAd units ? which often includes driving application downloads ? Olay?s mobile advertising campaign stands out.

By using interactive elements such as video, commerce and a quiz, Olay is able to educate consumers on a deeper level about the brand?s products and ultimately drive sales.
 

Mobile past
Olay is no newbie to mobile advertising.

Last year, the company ran a mobile advertising campaign within the Huffington Post iPhone app to spread the word on the brand?s anti-aging Total Effects line of products (see story).

Additionally, P&G brands Olay and Herbal Essences were advertisers in Latina Magazine?s campaign app that launched last August (see story).

"Brands should be careful not to give too many steps in a mobile ad campaign without clear direction," Ms. Troutman said.

"IAds can be extremely engaging and deliver a better mobile experience than just a flat ad when announcing a new product or creating buzz over a contest," she said. "Realizing the cost is more, brands need to ensure the directive is clear, concise and delivers."

"Olay has handled this ad well with clear primary and secondary calls-to-action."

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York