A self-serve ad platform built on first-party data
Introduction
Ulta Beauty's advertising platform connects beauty brands with consumers through personalized, omnichannel campaigns.
By drawing on Ulta's rich first-party customer insights and extensive product catalog, the platform lets brands reach shoppers across both digital and in-store experiences. It provides advertising tools — search ads, display ads, and interactive in-store activations — alongside data insights that optimize campaigns and drive engagement across the entire shopping journey.
Problem
Fragmented channels. Brands struggle to build cohesive campaigns that engage customers across both online and in-store experiences.
Lack of personalization. Most ad platforms fail to deliver truly personalized, data-driven campaigns that resonate with beauty consumers.
Underused customer insight. Brands hold rich data but lack tools to turn it into campaign optimization and precise targeting.
Discovery gaps. Shoppers struggle to discover new beauty products across channels, costing brands opportunities.
Research
Consumer insights. Analyzed Ulta's first-party data to understand behaviors and preferences across digital and in-store experiences.
Brand interviews. Talked with beauty brands about their challenges with existing methods and what would make a new platform valuable.
Competitive analysis + tech feasibility. Studied successful retail-media models and explored ML/AI for ad targeting and campaign optimization.
Consumers want a seamless experience that integrates online and in-store discovery.
Brands need powerful analytics to improve performance and target specific beauty consumers.
Brands need a self-serve portal that automates advertising and plugs into Ulta's existing ecosystem.
Design process
Gathered feedback from brands and customers to identify gaps in current advertising and their preferences for personalized content.
An omnichannel platform that empowers brands to reach customers with personalized, data-driven campaigns that optimize reach and engagement.
Omnichannel ad tools, ML-driven personalization from behavior and purchase history, and real-time campaign optimization.
Wireframes for the brand dashboard, consumer-facing personalized recommendations, and in-store activation support.
Solution
Omnichannel advertising
Campaigns that run across online and in-store, with consistent messaging and engagement.
Personalized ad targeting
AI and ML deliver content to customers based on their shopping habits and preferences.
Real-time analytics
A dashboard for tracking and optimizing ad performance, ensuring effective use of spend.
In-store interactive ads
In-store experiences that align with digital campaigns for a consistent customer journey.
Testing & iteration
Usability testing with beauty brands validated the platform against needs for simplicity, functionality, and effectiveness, while consumer research assessed responses to personalized ads and product discovery.
of testers showed a high rate of usability and engagement.
Refined ad formats and dashboard functionality from ongoing brand and consumer feedback to keep it intuitive and effective.
Reflection
Personalization is key to driving engagement and conversion in the beauty industry.
Omnichannel strategies are essential to a seamless experience that meets consumer expectations.
Real-time analytics and optimization tools increase a brand's investment in the platform.