E.l.f. UP!
View the case- Brand
- E.l.f. Cosmetics
- Year
- 2023
- Objective
- Engagement
- Industry
- Fashion & Beauty
- Mechanic
- Mini-Games
- Platform
- In-Game
Objective
e.l.f. wanted to meet Gen Z on the platform its own community was already telling it to join, and to do so as a brand built on positivity, inclusivity and accessibility rather than as another ad dropped into a game. Beyond awareness and brand love, the goals were concrete: turn Roblox players into sign-ups for e.l.f.'s loyalty programme, and open a new, non-cosmetics revenue line in digital goods and avatar wearables.
Solution
Players start with nothing but an empty plot and grow it into a business: crafting products, stocking shelves, serving customers, hiring staff, and stacking new floors onto a tower, with each floor unlocking a different shop built around an e.l.f. hero product — a recording studio and karaoke bar for Big Mood, an underwater animal-rescue charity for Holy Hydration!, a crystal-cave jewellery gallery for Halo Glow, a climbing gym and tech startup for Power Grip. Along the way they claim free limited-edition avatar items — a goldfish pet, musical wings, sunglasses, headbands — released in waves, and pitch in on shared community goals that unlock rewards and boosters for everyone playing nearby. Since mid-2024, players can also step up to an in-world kiosk to buy real e.l.f. products and walk away with a matching digital 'twin' item for their avatar. There's no single ending: people come back over weeks and months as their tower grows and the game adds new floors and shop types.
Results
The experience has drawn 21M+ total visits (12M+ as of its July 2024 commerce launch), with 96% positivity from players, putting it in the top 1% of branded Roblox experiences. It has given away over 1 million free avatar items, ranking among the top 5 branded experiences on Roblox for UGC claims, and converted tens of thousands of players into sign-ups for e.l.f.'s loyalty programme. e.l.f. shipped 25+ content updates in the first 18 months and says the experience grew faster than any other fashion or beauty brand on Roblox, while opening the first non-makeup revenue stream in the company's history through digital goods and wearables. The July 2024 commerce drop also triggered a $50,000 donation to the Humane Society of the United States.
- 1
Players open e.l.f. UP! on Roblox, are welcomed as an aspiring entrepreneur, and can earn in-game cash for liking the experience and joining its group; each is handed an empty plot to grow into a business from scratch.
- 2
Players choose which kind of startup to run from storefronts themed on e.l.f. hero products: Big Mood (a music recording studio and karaoke bar), Holy Hydration! (an underwater sea-life charity with adoptable pets), Halo Glow (a crystal-cave jewellery shop and art gallery), or Power Grip (an extreme climbing gym and tech startup).
- 3
The core loop has players craft their own makeup products at a crafting station, stock them on shop shelves, and serve NPC customers who buy more as the business expands and is run with kindness.
- 4
Players hire employees to run the shop at scale and decorate every part of the space — furniture, walls, floors, windows and ceilings — as a form of self-expression.
- 5
As earnings grow, players add new floors to their tower, stacking additional themed shop types into a single multi-story business.
- 6
Players work alongside others in their server toward shared community goals, unlocking boosters and rewards that benefit everyone nearby.
- 7
At a progression cap, players rebirth, restarting with accumulated advantages and themed keys that unlock new shop types, towers and exclusive customer interactions.
- 8
Players collect free limited-edition UGC avatar items inspired by e.l.f. bestsellers, released in waves over time.
- 9
U.S. players 13+ can visit an in-experience kiosk to buy real e.l.f. products through a Walmart-powered checkout without leaving the game, with each purchase also granting a matching virtual 'twin' item for their avatar.
- 10
Later updates expand the map with new areas and add a Hair Care Crafting Station where players craft shampoo, conditioner, strengthening oil and anti-frizz spray alongside the makeup line.
