SEPHORA’s ‘Idea Central’ Program Will Produce the Next Generation of Leaders

SEPHORA sign and storefront

Front-line employees know what customers want. Here's how SEPHORA is tapping into its employees' ideas to deliver customer demands.                                  

Coby Skonord|
January 19, 2021

Through its Think Tank-esque program, SEPHORA will groom the next generation of leaders—in turn developing the next big idea in retail, online or otherwise. The team meets monthly and works to solve for the way we shop five years from now. The Think Tank team also oversees “Idea Central,” a program which seeks to source and deliver on ideas from employees nationwide—regardless of rank or function within the company.


Innovations and Results of Think Tank and Idea Central

  • Beacons – SEPHORA will be using beacons in stores nationwide to deliver timely, personalized alerts to clients who opt-in. Shoppers can receive things like birthday alerts, loyalty program updates and be notified when new trainings are happening in store. 
  • Pocket Contour – A new digital experience in partnership with map my beauty, the first-of-its-kind cross platform virtual makeup artist application that takes the mystery out of contouring, a growing consumer trend in beauty. By analyzing a photo of you on mobile, SEPHORA can help you identify your face shape and give you personalized guidance on how to apply makeup for the contoured look you want to achieve.
  • Augmented Reality – SEPHORA has created its first augmented reality experience for clients via the Sephora-To-Go mobile app. Using this app, clients can engage with custom content by hovering over nine brand founder faces, like Josie Maran, Laura Mercier, Kat Von D and others, featured in the SEPHORA windows and display cases. Scanning each image with augmented reality will show content options, like brand founder interviews, product videos, animated GIFs, YouTube playlists and product pages on Sephora.com, all without leaving the app.
  • SEPHORA Flash – Frequent shoppers who want SEPHORA products even faster can sign-up for SEPHORA Flash, an annual subscription that allows

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