Mecca is acing it at the Australian Open.
The Australian beauty retailer has returned to the “happy slam” tennis tournament this season as an official partner of Tennis Australia.
The long-term tie-in has two main facets: Mecca as the official beauty partner of the Australian Open. And Mecca Cosmetica is the official SPF of the event, which started Jan. 12 and runs through Feb. 1.
Mecca went from being like a spectator to a participant as a beauty player at the Australian Open, one of the Grand Slam tournaments that boasts more than 1.2 million attendees.
“We’ve been able to expand the experience we offer in the space,” said Marita Burke, chief Mecca-maginations officer.
Mecca, which has more than 150 team members on site, has inaugurated a first for the Australian Open: a three-floor, 2,905-square-foot experiential beauty pop-up extravaganza. Called the Mecca Pro Shop, it is located in Melbourne Park.
As its name suggests, this has a sport and performance theme. The boutique gives a full-store experience, including express services within the makeup, hair, skin, SPF and fragrance categories. There is also education on skin care and exclusive product activations.
Eighty-five beauty brands with 682 products are stocked there altogether.
Mecca has 13 locations in the park for Mecca Cosmetica SPF, including an SPF Studio, four sampling huts and SPF pumping stations at all gates and information desks.
Mecca Cosmetica is the official SPF of the Australian Open.
Courtesy of Mecca
There’s a Mecca Beauty Box, billed as the first beauty-led hospitality space in the Rod Laver Arena. It hosts media, influencers, partners and customers in five rows of five seats.
“That in and of itself is an incredible opportunity in terms of how beauty shows up within sport,” Burke said. “We will have different products and different brands themed for each day. It’s a really great way to integrate all of our brands into the Australian Open.”
Tennis is not the only sport in which Mecca has ties. Mecca Max partnered with the Grand Prix, where there have been branded pop-ups. A similar activation took place with Mecca Cosmetica at the Hamilton Island Race Week yachting event.
Beauty is becoming increasingly sporty.
“As both a beauty brand and a retailer brand, being able to show up on occasions that are contextually relevant for customers really dimensionalizes a brand beyond what you can be just in the four walls of a store,” Burke said.
“That drives engagement with your customer community more broadly,” she continued. “It drives relevance, creates more opportunities for you to speak about particular products and brands.”
Back at the Australian Open, Mecca has a limited-edition collaboration, called To Save Face SPF50+ Superscreen. The product is on site and in all of Mecca’s 115 stores in Australia, as well as online this month.
It is already reaping big benefits.
“Our SPF performance year-to-date is close to 40 percent growth,” Burke said Friday, speaking at the end of the tournament’s qualifying rounds. At the time, on the event’s fifth day, Mecca had already exceeded its sales forecast for the Australian Open by around 70 percent.
In the Lounge, Mecca offers players complimentary services, curated gifting and concierge access to the Mecca Bourke Street location in Melbourne, plus as product delivery. In the store, too, Mecca showcases moments of the Australian Open.
Inside the Lounge for players at the Australian Open.
Courtesy of Mecca
Mecca had participated in the tournament’s Topcourt entertainment precinct with a pop-up last year.
“The Australian Open is one of these events that sits at the intersection of culture, performance and community, which is exactly where I like to think Mecca shows up,” Burke said.
