With claw machines, celebrity masterclasses, and scent bars, Glam Hotel transformed City Centre Mirdif into an experiential playground – and proved physical retail still has pulling power.
“We wanted to go beyond traditional promotions and bring something truly immersive – a beauty pop-up that blended indulgence, education, and entertainment in equal measures. The goal was to position City Centre Mirdif not just as a retail destination, but as a vibrant lifestyle hub where beauty lovers could discover, learn, and connect,” says Michelle Walsh, VP of Marketing Communications, Majid Al Futtaim Shopping Malls.
A total of 18 brands take part in Glam Hotel, with 14 of them activating the dedicated retailer zone through product displays, immersive services, and interactive experiences.
“It’s also part of our broader ambition to bring footfall back to physical retail by making the mall experience more engaging, more curated, and more fun. By creating a narrative-led beauty space, we tapped into lifestyle aspirations and built emotional resonance with shoppers, helping drive brand affinity and prolonged dwell time,” says Walsh.
From a performance standpoint, the activation delivered a +20 per cent increase in footfall compared to the same period last year and achieved double the organic engagement rate versus benchmark.
Inside the Glam Hotel
At its core, Glam Hotel was designed to achieve four key objectives: reinforce City Centre Mirdif’s positioning as a premium lifestyle destination; promote leading beauty brands participating in the event; drive increased footfall and boost sales, particularly in the perfumes and cosmetics category; and enhance brand love and awareness by delivering a one-of-a-kind customer experience.
The participating brands were Charlotte Tilbury, Giorgio Armani, Shiseido, YSL, NARS, Chloe, Lush, Bath & Body Works, NYSAA, Kiko, MAC, Makeup Forever, H&M Beauty, Victoria’s Secret, Carter & White, Kylie, Gold Apple, and Kiehl’s.
A partnership with EL&N Café for a unique F&B experience brought over 2,000 visitors at the Glam Café .
“These 14 tenants represented 86 per cent of City Centre Mirdif’s beauty portfolio, which speaks volumes about the strength of participation and the relevance of this platform to our retailer network,” says Walsh.
The activation ran from Friday, May 2, to Sunday, May 11, 2025.
Targeting the beauty-spending powerhouse
The primary audience for the activation included City Centre Mirdif’s loyal customer base and the wider Mirdif community, with a particular focus on beauty enthusiasts.
“Special attention was given to customers likely to spend AED 300 or more, as reaching this purchase threshold granted access to the Glam Arcade and other engaging activities,” says Walsh.
The activation meaningfully engaged with the audience through a high-energy, high-touch experience that combined entertainment, education, and exclusive brand moments.
“Additionally, those interested in deepening their beauty knowledge were able to pre-register for masterclasses and main events through a dedicated online link. This targeted approach ensured high-quality engagement, driving both participation and conversion, and ultimately contributing to the mall’s overall sales uplift. We attracted over 6000 people to Glam Hotel!,” says Walsh.
The Glam Arcade was a crowd favourite, featuring a custom perfume bar, claw machine, photo booth, and charms bar, creating a playful space for beauty exploration.
Guests could craft their own lip gloss, try their luck at the claw machine, blend scents at the custom perfume bar, or catch live beauty masterclasses led by regional stars like Tier-A regional beauty influencers such as Dina Al Sharif, Diana Samman, Nojoud Al Rumaihi, Dalal Al Doub, and Noha Nabil. The activation hosted over 20 DIY workshops and 27 brand-led sessions, keeping footfall high. To complete the experience, over 2,000 goodie bags were distributed, leaving attendees with a memorable takeaway.
Hyperlocal, high-impact, high energy
For Walsh, the success of Glam Hotel hinged on one key factor: deep-rooted retailer engagement. “This high level of retailer engagement helped create a unified beauty destination within the mall, driving visibility for in-mall brands and encouraging more organic footfall across categories.”
The activation was deliberately hyperlocal, with every element tailored to reflect regional nuances.
She adds, “Our approach thoughtfully tailored to reflect regional relevance and resonate with the community. Arabic-speaking influencers led the majority of the sessions and masterclasses, fostering authentic connections with the audience.”
“We activated brands that are already part of our mall ecosystem to reinforce in-mall loyalty and encouraged continued brand engagement post event. In addition, newer beauty tenants were included to drive product trial and boost awareness of emerging offerings. Every touchpoint – from language and culture nuances to consumer preferences, was carefully adapted to ensure the experience was meaningful, relevant, and locally resonant,” Walsh concludes.
While digital continues to dominate marketing budgets, Glam Hotel proves there’s still appetite for physical experiences especially when built around community, culture, and interactivity.
