“Sweatworking” Events Program Beauty + Bikes Is Back With A Few Changes To Make It Relevant Today

After an almost three-year hiatus, Beauty + Bikes is peddling again.

Orchestrated by Sutton Capital Partners senior advisor Corey Weiss, former VP of business development and marketing partnerships at Ipsy, the events program designed to create “sweatworking” opportunities for influencers and beauty brands is back with a Summer Lovin’-themed spin session on Saturday at Dig Cycle in Calabasas, Calif. Fifteen brands are participating, including Chella, Jamie Makeup, Laruce Beauty, First Aid Beauty and Bubble.

While much hasn’t changed about Beauty + Bikes since it held about 10 events pre-pandemic—there are bikes, bodies and bumping beats—subtle differences illustrate how events have morphed as a result of the coronavirus and the rise of gen Z consumers. We spoke to Weiss, who’s busy when he’s off the bike counseling brands such as Bubble, Mary Louise Cosmetics and Topix, about those differences to shed light on events that make sense for the current beauty industry. Below, he pinpoints nine characteristics of successful events today.

Intimacy Over Splash: Prior to the pandemic, Beauty + Bikes had events with 50 cycles. With 30 cycles, this event is a bit smaller and purposefully so. “Coming out of the pandemic, we know it’s more about these intimate settings and how we can have meaningful interactions,” says Weiss.

Events As Fitness And Health Occasions: Beauty + Bikes existed before the pandemic, but Weiss believes its incorporation of fitness is particularly resonant now. Of course, the health aspect became top of mind with the pandemic. Also, fitness events force people to loosen up and spark sincere moments.

“When people come to a beauty event that involves fitness or wellness, they are not coming dressed to the nines. It’s not about who has the perfect outfit or the perfect makeup. There are no attitudes,” says Weiss. “There’s a stronger community feel than at other events where people will break off into cliques. People interact more openly with other creators and brands.”

Microinfluencer Focus: Instead of influencers with 500,000 to 1 million followers, Weiss targeted influencers with 75,000 to 100,000 followers for the Beauty + Bikes event. He relied on his network to select them, but additionally examined influencers that use hashtags related to self-care, self-love, beauty and fitness. Weiss says, “Brands are gravitating toward microinfluencers that have highly engaged audiences and a greater impact in terms of their influence.”

Less Bark, More Bite: Weiss underscores the return on investment from events has never been more important. For brands, involvement in this edition of Beauty + Bikes event costs $700. Tangibly, the fee enables them to introduce themselves to attendees, participate in an on-site activation and incorporate merchandise in a gift bag. Less tangibly, it enables them to make valuable in-person connections to creators.

“Creators know that brands’ budgets are not what they once were,” says Weiss. “These events allow for brands and creators to establish relationships and build PR lists that they are able to send to in the future.”

The Fun Factor: Whether it’s called “joyology” or “treat culture,” a major movement among consumers is looking to beauty as an escape valve following a period of extreme stress and anxiety. Beauty + Bikes is an escape valve that happens to be healthy. “One way to think about Beauty + Bikes is similar to how people use the term ‘retail therapy.’ It feels good now to get back to the mall and shop. I also call this cycle therapy. It’s therapeutic to cycle and do something for yourself,” says Weiss. “I love the notion of treat culture.”

Easy Content Access: For the Beauty + Bikes event, Weiss has tapped creator and cinematographer Jeff Melgar to video it to provide content that brands and influencers can use. Weiss says, “Influencers rely on events to capture aspirational content. Followers want to see creators being creators.”

“Coming out of the pandemic, we know it’s more about these intimate settings and how we can have meaningful interactions.”

Effective Product Placement: Weiss encourages brands to zero in on products for events that speak to the creators participating, the nature of the events themselves and the season. In the Bikes + Beauty gift bag, Bubble is including Day Dream, a vitamin c and niacinamide tone and texture serum, and First Aid Beauty is including Ingrown Hair Pads With BHA & AHA, both products pertinent to the summer months.

Public Scrutiny: Brands have to carefully consider how events and their involvement with them will be viewed broadly by consumers and creators. Benefit Cosmetics is being called out for an influencer trip to Hawaii as many locals are asking for tourists to stay away. Weiss says, “People are looking at what a brand stands for. So, what are the values of the creators and the brands?”

Discussing the Beauty + Bikes event, he adds, “This event is the right time and the right size. It adheres to local mandates. In terms of the brands that are present, they are all brands that take a clean approach to beauty. Even the beverage sponsor ZenWTR is about reducing plastic. Public perception is definitely important, but this isn’t an extravagant event as people are suffering that is over the top. There is no excessiveness to raise eyebrows.”

Uniqueness: Weiss anticipates a greater number of events and increased travel by influencers and brands seeking to generate content and break through the noise. But another flowery luncheon won’t necessarily cut it. “The space has only become more congested. Influencers must stand out through genuine creativity,” says Weiss, emphasizing events and the content springing from them have to stray from the norm to catch consumer attention. He believes Bikes + Beauty fits the bill. Watch out for the next Bikes + Beauty event, which will feature science-backed brands, in August.