E.l.f. Cosmetics (under the e.l.f. Beauty parent name) is one of the more impressive growth stories for any consumer brand in the last few years. They have grown revenue for 21 straight quarters. Let’s dig into the marketing secret that has led to their impressive growth.
E.l.f. Cosmetics has successfully executed a three step formula that is simple to describe but very difficult to execute.
The three step formula is:
- Know your customer at the deepest level possible so you can speak to them in a way they relate to.
- Create brand partnerships with high visibility brands in very unexpected ways.
- Generate massive press attention to the partnerships to amplify well beyond the co-marketing audiences of their brand partners.
This article is about points 2 and 3 above. If you want to read about point 1, here is a detailed article about how e.l.f. drives their culture of deeply understanding their audience.
Creating the right reach, frequency, and size of brand partners is the biggest key in all of this so lets look at 14 of the bigger partnerships e.l.f. has done in the last four years.
Chipotle x e.l.f. Cosmetics
In 2020, these two brands created a limited-edition make up collection that had beauty and burrito lovers salivating. The collection featured an eye shadow palette with shades named after Chipotle ingredients like “Pinto Bean” and “Hot Salsa”, as well as a makeup bag designed to look like Chipotle’s famous paper bag.
This very unexpected pairing generated significant press in both the beauty and food categories. Major publication slike Allure, Refinery29, and large food-focused publications covered the launch, praising its creativity and playful approach. The collaboration demonstrated e.l.f.’s knack for thinking outside the box and tapped into cultural relevance. It also showed how unexpected cross-industry partnerships can create a unique, attention-worthy moment that resonates with younger consumers who value experiences and the unexpected.
Twitch x e.l.f. Cosmetics
In 2020-2021, e.l.f. Cosmetics became the first beauty brand to launch a branded channel on Twitch, the popular live-streaming platform primarily known for gaming content. This was a risky and unexpected move by e.l.f. E.l.f. began collaborating with popular Twitch streamers and hosting live events that blended gaming culture with beauty tutorials. e.l.f. created a “Game Up” contest which gave aspiring content creators a chance to win prizes and potentially become an e.l.f. brand ambassador.
This creative approach got attention from both beauty and tech media, with coverage in Glossy, WWD, and gaming focused publications. The savvy and smart partnership reacedh Gen Z consumers where they were already spending time. It highlighted e.l.f.’s willingness to explore new platforms and take risk. E.l.f. also showed that they understand the overlap between gaming and beauty communities, which other beauty brands were not pursuing. This collaboration was a marketing case study for how consumer brands can successfully enter unexpected categories and create connections with new audiences. It was a risk and it paid off.
Viral Content on TikTok
e.l.f.’s presence on TikTok has been viral to the core. The brand’s #eyeslipsface challenge, launched in 2019, became one of the platform’s most successful branded campaigns ever, getting billions of views and tons of user-generated content. e.l.f. didn’t stop there – they’ve continued to create viral content, collaborate with TikTok creators, and releasing original songs tied to their campaigns.
The brand’s TikTok strategy has been widely covered in high profile publications, such as AdWeek, Forbes, and The Drum. It’s been a masterclass in how to effectively use the platform your audience is on for brand building and engagement. e.l.f.’s success on TikTok shows the power of understanding platform-specific content styles, leveraging user-generated content, and staying agile in the fast-paced world of social media trends. E.l.f. wasn’t afraid to go all in on the platforms their younger audiences frequented the most, understood what type of content has viral features, and intelligently went after creating it.
Dunkin’ Donuts x e.l.f.
Who said you can’t have your donut and wear it too? e.l.f. Beauty’s collaboration with Dunkin’ Donuts in 2021 brought the beloved coffee and donut chain into the beauty world with a collection that was as sweet as it was surprising. The limited-edition line included eyeshadow palettes shaped like donuts, coffee-scented lip scrubs, and makeup brushes designed to look like straws. It was a feast for the eyes (and nose) that perfectly captured the fun, accessible spirit of both brands.
This collaboration made news across beauty, food, and lifestyle media, with coverage in Elle, Food & Wine, and PopSugar, and others. The collection sold out quickly, reinforcing the power of the unexpected to drive consumer interest. This partnership showed how brands can create buzz and drive sales by tapping into consumers’ affection for familiar, everyday brands in very unexpected ways. It turned heads and made people click the headlines to see what these two brands did together. What a great way to grow brand awareness.
NFL x e.l.f.
In 2022, e.l.f. Beauty became the first official beauty partner of the NFL. This unexpected move brought together the worlds of cosmetics and American football in a way that challenged traditional notions of both categories. The partnership included the launch of a limited-edition collection of NFL-inspired makeup products, featuring team colors and football-themed packaging. It also involved e.l.f. sponsoring events and creating content that celebrated the cross-section of beauty and sports.
This partnership gained significant media attention, with coverage in sports publications like ESPN, beauty magazines like Allure, and mainstream news outlets. It was widely discussed for its potential to bring more female fans into the NFL and to challenge stereotypes about sports and beauty.
This collaboration was a masterclass in finding unexpected synergies between unrelated brands. It was so unexpected that it allowed e.l.f. to tap into a massive NFL fanbase while helping the NFL appeal to a broader demographic. It serves as an inspiring example of how thinking outside the box can lead to partnerships that expand brand reach and challenge industry norms.
Liquid Death x e.l.f.
If this article highlighted two of the fastest growing consumer brands, Liquid Death would be that second brand. We are working on a marketing deconstruction of the highly effective marketing playbook Liquid Death is running.
In the meantime, lets just enjoy the fact that these two brands have collaborated.
Super Bowl Commercial with Jennifer Coolidge of White Lotus Fame
e.l.f. Beauty struck marketing gold in 2023 when they partnered with beloved actress Jennifer Coolidge, fresh off her career resurgence with “The White Lotus.” The collaboration kicked off with a Super Bowl commercial that featured Coolidge in a humorous skit about e.l.f.’s cult-favorite Power Grip Primer. The partnership extended beyond the big game, with Coolidge appearing in subsequent campaigns and social media content for the brand.
This collaboration received massive media attention, from entertainment publications to marketing industry outlets. The Super Bowl ad, in particular, was widely praised for its humor and for effectively leveraging Coolidge’s quirky persona. From a marketing standpoint, this partnership showcased e.l.f.’s ability to tap into popular culture and create buzz around their products. By aligning with Coolidge at the height of her renewed popularity, e.l.f. was able to attract attention from a broad audience and add a touch of celebrity glamour to their affordable brand. For marketers, this serves as a prime example of how effective celebrity partnerships can be when there’s a genuine fit between the star’s persona and the brand’s identity. It also demonstrates the power of humor in creating memorable marketing moments.
Summary
No one of these partnerships has led to e.l.f.’s cultural relevance and significant revenue growth. It’s the compounding effect of consistent execution of unexpected and relevant partnerships with brands with some of the highest awareness levels; then the amplification of these partnerships through top tier media, paired with mentioning impressive business metrics to create the marketing flywheel that is driving e.l.f.’s awareness, revenue, and establishing strong cultural relevance.
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