The beauty industry is constantly evolving, with brands vying for attention in a crowded space. The most memorable marketing campaigns aren't just about promoting products; they tell stories, spark trends, and connect with consumers on a deeper level. From powerful visuals to innovative digital strategies, these campaigns shape how we perceive beauty and influence the way we engage with brands. In this blog, I’ll highlight some of my favorite beauty marketing campaigns that have stood out for their creativity, impact, and ability to resonate with audiences
Fenty Beauty: Rihanna’s Super Blot LVII Performance
Rihanna’s halftime performance at the 2023 Super Bowl was iconic! The music, the choreography, and the fashion were all on point. From coming out of hiatus to being the most-viewed halftime show of all time, with over 121 million live viewers, what does Rihanna do during her dance break? She touches up her makeup with the Fenty Beauty Invisimatte Blotting + Setting Powder. Product placement has never looked so cool. With this small action, the founder was able to increase brand awareness. According to Forbes, Rihanna garnered $5.6 million in media impact value in the 12 hours after the performance. The lesson here is to capitalize on every single moment. Brilliant.
e.l.f. Cosmetics: Mt. Zitmore
National monuments get pimples too! Well, at least in e.l.f Cosmetics’ CGI world they do. To announce the launch of their Stick it to Zits Pimple Patches, e.l.f created a 20-second animation of a helicopter placing a giant pimple patch on Mt. Rushmore. This clip got the brand 50 million views on TikTok and Instagram with over 4 million engagements. The brand was able to tap into trending content styles such as hyperrealistic CGI and ASMR to capture audiences. While being creative and playful the messaging remains clear: apply the pimple patch on the acne spot, wait a few hours, and when you take it off the zit will be gone. We learned about the product and entertained viewers enough to watch it on repeat.
Kiehl’s: The Beauty of Youth
The “Sephora Kid” took the internet by storm in 2024. We were disturbed to learn that Generation Alpha is experiencing an unconventional childhood, regularly using retinol, purchasing $70 makeup products, and filming beauty content online. Despite being a potential brand of interest for this new demographic, Kiehl’s makes a statement with the “Kids should be kids” campaign. They put morals above sales. Children should be playing in the mud, going to ballet, and eating ice cream. The imagery evokes nostalgia, joy, and imagination, all factors that make one’s youth beautiful. This not only reinforces Kiehl’s commitment to community but it resonates with value-driven audiences.
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