To promote the forthcoming release of a makeup how-to book from Nars founder and creative director François Nars, the company has launched a microsite of makeover tutorials with a strong community component.
The site, which marks the Shiseido-owned company's largest digital initiative to date, contains 12 step-by-step tutorials adapted from the pages of the book.
To encourage visitors to try out the products and makeovers, Nars is offering 13 prizes to the women who upload photos of their makeovers to the site. The look with the most votes by August 31 will win a backstage pass to New York Fashion Week in February 2012, travel accommodations included.
The contest not only promises to increase engagement on the site, but it also creates a rich resource of user-generated imagery. It gives visitors an idea of how featured makeovers will appear when applied by less expert hands on a variety of complexions.
The site, which was designed and developed by agency ceft and company, features heavy Facebook integration throughout. One must log in to Facebook to vote and comment on looks, and users are somewhat frequently prompted to share content with their Facebook friends.