The contest involves two parts and runs through June 20 and lives through a microsite that lets consumers learn about the campaign and the 16 beauty brands that are sponsoring it. This is the second year that Rite Aid is running the Nail Extravaganza campaign.

“Mobile and drugstores are a perfect match – consumers on the go frequent their drugstore and want delivery of mobile specials, coupons, loyalty points, etc,” said Marci Troutman, CEO of SiteMinis, Atlanta.

“As mobile continues to saturate the global population, and marketers like drugstores start to get their overarching mobile strategy in place, mobile will continue to play an important role and continue to gain traction,” she said.

Ms. Troutman is not affiliated with Rite Aid. She commented based on her expertise on the subject.

Rite Aid declined to comment for this story.

Mobile beauty
Rite Aid has created a microsite at http://www.riteaidnails.com/.

During the first portion of the campaign, consumers can upload and share pictures of their favorite nail designs.

Additionally, consumers can browse through trend videos and submissions of uploaded photos in real-time via the site.

Consumers can also download coupons from the campaign’s sponsors including L’Oreal, Revlon and Sally Hansen via the site. The coupons can then be printed and shown to a store employee in-store to be redeemed.

The site also includes trend videos that show consumers how to get certain looks. The videos can be shared via Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Additionally, there is a color studio section that lets consumers find specific beauty products by brand, color or effect.

The first portion of the campaign will end on May 24 when the top twenty users with the most voted pictures will be sent a package of nail products.

Then on June 20, a winner will be named from a panel of judges from beauty brands and bloggers. Submissions will be judged on visual appeal, complexity and originality.

One grand prize winner will receive a $500 Rite Aid gift card, nail products and one year of Gold Status on Rite Aid’s loyalty program, wellness+. Additionally, the winner will have the chance to be featured in Rite Aid’s marketing materials for nail care.

In addition to making entries available via the mobile site, Rite Aid is also leveraging Instagram with the campaign with the handle @RiteAidBeauty to stay up to date on news during the campaign.

Mobile past
Rite Aid originally launched its iPhone app in 2012 to help consumers refill their prescriptions and manage their loyalty card (see story).

Additionally, the company leveraged SMS last year for its 18thannual Miracle Balloon campaign last year to let consumers donate via SMS (see story).

For drugstores in particular, mobile is proving to be effective at helping consumers manage their information when they are on the go and away from their computers.

“Consumers are mobile and there is no turning back, better to jump in and keep pace in order to not lose the consumer base created,” Ms. Troutman said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York