OPALLAC CASE STUDY
Building a Cult Following for Australia’s No.1 Gel Polish Brand
We helped build a cult following around Australia’s best-selling gel polish brand, transforming Opallac from a background player into a trending brand that dominated social media conversations around gel nail kits.
The Challenge
Despite being stocked in Priceline and Kmart, Opallac’s social channels were inactive, engagement had stalled, and followers were unresponsive. Without a clear content strategy, their social presence didn’t reflect the scale, reputation, or authority of a leading brand in the nail industry.
Opallac needed a strategy to not only re-engage their audience but also turn everyday customers into loyal advocates — while showing that the brand was both glamorous and accessible.
OUR SOLUTION
We implemented a two-pronged approach that combined community-first strategies with hype-driven content campaigns, supported by creator partnerships and influencer relationships.
SOLUTION 01
HYPE CONTENT
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Viral humour and scroll-stopping campaigns that reached beyond Australia.
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Vox pops, UGC activations, influencer collaborations, and warehouse content that positioned Opallac as an approachable but aspirational brand.
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Competitions and major giveaways to generate excitement and reach new audiences.
SOLUTION 02
COMMUNITY STRATEGIES
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Implemented two series: 'Opallac On You' and 'Customer of the Month' featuring real customers and showcasing authentic photos — not just the picture-perfect ones. This helped to humanise the brand and make loyal customers feel appreciated.
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Monthly giveaways keep engagement high, encouraged tagging, and amplified customer participation.
SOLUTION 03
OUR HANDS-ON APPROACH
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We treat our client's brands like our own. For Opallac it's no different –– learning how to do gel nails and traveling to Sydney to shoot warehouse content.
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Built a fresh content creator PR list to expand reach and strengthen creator relationships.
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Balanced affordability and glamour in content, differentiating Opallac from competitors that were either pretentious or detached.
THE RESULT
By aligning Opallac’s social presence with its brand identity, we didn’t just manage socials — we helped build a cult following, strengthened community loyalty, and cemented its reputation as the nail industry’s go-to gel polish brand.
BEFORE
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Feed filled with static images of just customer re-posts
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Content did not communicate strong messaging that contributed to improving brand image or selling products
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Products did not feel tangible through the screen
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No feeling of glamour or hype surrounding the brand
AFTER
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Increased studio-shot content for an elevated, more glamorous brand image
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Strategic inclusion of storytelling and BTS content to humanise the brand
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Created a balance of educational, entertaining and promotional content
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Harnessed text-on-screen to increase engagement and clickability
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Boosted product tangibility through photos & videos that actually showed the products texture and use in-action
Engagement and social activity skyrocketed, transforming Opallac’s socials into a vibrant, loyal community.
Tagged posts increased from zero to 15+ per week, turning customers into active brand advocates.
The brand is now more relatable and humanised while maintaining its aspirational, glamorous positioning.
Opallac’s social media now truly reflects its status as Australia’s best-selling gel polish, creating a movement rather than just selling a product.
VIRAL MOMENTS THAT SOLD OUT KITS IN KMART, NATIONWIDE.
We took our friends to Kmart to find and buy Opallac's Limited Edition Kit. The entertaining video drew eyes onto Opallac's Kit worldwide, helping Opallac completely sell-out in Kmart, in just a few weeks.
1.6 Million + Views
4K+ Shares
6,000+ Saves
A VARIETY OF CREATIVE CONTENT TO CONVERT A DIVERSE AUDIENCE
Highly engaging hook and story-telling content to engage viewers to consider purchasing Opallac's NEW Builder Gel
Collaborative content with @dominellidesign
Educational content to highlight how easy Opallac's Gel Polish is for quality at-home nails
INSTAGRAM STORY STRATEGY
Instagram Stories are often overlooked and treated as an afterthought for many brands. At Sarah X Studio, we approach Stories as a core conversion channel, not a side task. That’s why each of our client accounts, including Opallac, is supported by a dedicated Instagram Story specialist.
WHERE CONVERSION HAPPENS
Stories play a critical role in conversion because they are primarily shown to existing followers. This makes them the most powerful space to nurture trust, deepen brand connection, and drive action.
For Opallac, we built a strong, predictable Instagram Stories strategy anchored in recurring content series. These series gave followers something to look forward to each week, creating familiarity, consistency, and habitual engagement whenever they opened Opallac’s Stories.
A key focus of this strategy was community-led content. We spotlighted real customers and nail artists, positioning Opallac as a brand built by and for its community, while simultaneously educating and inspiring its audience.
STORY SERIES WE CREATED
Colour Maps
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Revealing the exact Opallac shades used behind each manicure
Minute Manis
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Quick, easy nail tutorials designed for high retention and shares
Behind the Nails
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A day-in-the-life of nail artists from salon open to close, including interviews and educational Q&As
Steal This Look
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Step-by-step tutorials showing how to recreate trending nail design
Mani-Pedi Duos
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Curated colour combinations for cohesive, elevated mani-pedi sets
This structured Stories approach transformed Opallac’s Instagram Stories into a reliable conversion and community-building hub, strengthening brand loyalty while driving consistent engagement.
