Is your nail polish social?

As a lover of both social media and nail polish, I’m interested in how nail polish companies (specifically, OPI and Essie) leverage social media to engage their core consumers.

In my experience, most brands do not effectively use social media to engage me. They have a presence, but their content just doesn’t deliver. Surprisingly, both OPI and Essie have successfully utilized social networking platforms to bring their brand to life in the social space. Both brands have a robust social presence that tells their brand story, and encourages consumers to integrate the brand into their story. Many fans of these brands upload pictures of their nails (some of which are very beautifully and creatively designed) and interact with the brand through the published content.

OPI does a bit of a better job of offering unique content and leading discussions on Facebook; and fans seem to genuinely enjoy the interaction. The most unique feature of their social media presence is the integration of the OPI Nail Studio with their Facebook page. Shown above, OPI gives fans the option to try on their favorite OPI colors - without making a trip to the store; and I think this adds value to their Facebook page.

I think Essie has room to grow in this space since consumers want to connect with their favorite brands in a more meaningful way. However, Essie does have some unique content on Facebook through the Essie Girl page, which shares “one girl’s musings on all things colorful.” Overall, both are examples of how brands successfully use digital platforms to tell their story.