Clinique is appealing to millennial cosmetics fans by rolling out a mobile-optimized music video featuring pop star Zara Larsson, enabling viewers to toggle through different beauty looks and instantly purchase the products shown via Clinique’s mobile site.

The beauty brand is taking an interactive spin with its latest campaign, which aims to showcase its lipsticks and lip lacquers in a way that appeals to smartphone savvy individuals. Fans can view the video starring Ms. Larsson performing one of her songs and subsequently buy the featured items, all of which adhere to one of four musical themes.

“Clinique is appealing to the millennial audience by combining three components that we know this generation is passionate about – music, mobile and personalization – into a campaign that has relevance and impact,” said Christine Cline, vice president of marketing at Retale, Chicago. “Clinique understands its audience is made of many different interests and personalities and creating a campaign that appeals to each person’s individual taste can be a good example for its industry and future campaigns.”

Coloring up mobile
Clinique has been sponsoring ads on Instagram to promote the video, which have been popping up in users’ feeds, inviting consumers to visit the mobile-optimized PlayWithPop.com site.

Once individuals enter the site, they will spot a series of four panels featuring a side of Ms. Larsson’s face, with a different colored lipstick superimposed on the bottom of the screen. Each lipstick shade corresponds to a style of music: acoustic, dance, country and pop.

Users must tap on their favorite lipstick shade, which will prompt the music video to begin.

Ms. Larsson will start singing her song “Lush Life” while wearing cosmetics in the chosen color. Viewers can toggle through the three other options to watch the video change in accordance with the color theme. Ms. Larsson’s makeup will also change.

If consumers like the lipstick she is modeling during her music video, they may click on a button on the bottom of the screen to pull up the exact beauty products. The page will encourage them to click to “Get the Look.”

Then, users will be brought to Clinique’s mobile site, where they can peruse the featured lipsticks and other cosmetics items. If the products are enticing enough, customers may add them to their virtual shopping bags with the tap of a button.

Once the shopping bag is completed, individuals are brought to the mobile-optimized checkout page, on which they may complete the transaction by using digital payment service PayPal, or simply inputting their credit card information.

The interactive music video offers a 3D feel to the products, giving consumers an idea of how the lipsticks may look in-person. Furthermore, fans of Ms. Larsson, as well as other musically-inclined millennials, could be tempted to purchase the showcased products if they want to keep up with the latest beauty trends.

“Based on what we know about the millennial generation, that they are very mobile-driven, this campaign has a great shot of breaking through and driving product consideration and trial,” Ms. Cline said.

Shoppable video’s rise
Mobile video has proven itself to be an invaluable marketing medium for brands seeking to connect with younger consumers. However, many companies are realizing the potentially lucrative tactic of adding a shoppable component into interactive videos.

This allows viewers to engage in impulse purchases, and removes the need for them to search for featured products and browse through tens of search queries until they stumble upon the desired item.

Several brands have already perfected this strategy.

In its first multi-platform campaign, Ulta Beauty sponsored a second-screen experience from Bravo Media last December that merged mobile video content with commerce to target fans of the “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce” series (see story).

Additionally, over the summer, Williams-Sonoma partnered with Visa Checkout to blend mobile video with shopping, making it easy for on-the-go consumers to purchase showcased products by clicking directly from a video (see story).

“Brands should constantly be looking for new ways to break through to shoppers using elements that are surprising and relevant,” Ms. Cline said.