Successful marketing often comes from the beauty brands tapping into cultural moments to connect with consumers beyond surface-level advertising. By aligning marketing with audience values and interests, businesses find success beyond sales—according to The Drum, over 25% of product purchasing decisions are driven by cultural relevance. In today’s industry, from Glossier’s politically charged partnership with The New York Times (NYT), to Philosophy’s Halloween-inspired skincare campaign featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar, brands are tapping into current affairs, pop culture, and even nostalgia to make an impact. BeautyMatter rounds up the industry’s recent stand-out marketing campaigns that caught our editorial team's attention.
Glossier: Preparing its audience for the upcoming election, Glossier took a spread in The NYT to share a message on the importance of women voting. The advertisement featured an image of a cleavage, with the text “Vote for your daughters future. Vote for your grandmother's legacy. Vote for You,” a subtle nod to the brands best-selling You fragrances, as well as a bold reference to the importance of voting with women's reproductive rights in mind, after the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022. The single-page spread included a link to Glossier’s website where consumers could learn more about the benefits of voting, how to register to vote, and how to vote on election day.
In addition to The NYT spread, the ad is featured on billboards across the nation, with a particular focus on the swing states like Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The brand also used mass transit advertising to promote the message, as well as large advertisements on college campuses throughout the country. As part of the campaign, Glossier also made donations to nonprofits. These included Reproductive Freedom for All, a charity that protects and advances reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and postpartum care, as well as paid family leave, and IGNITE, an organization encouraging young women to get into politics, instructing them on how to run for office. At the WNBA playoffs, where Glossier is a long-term partner, a “Register to Vote” billboard was painted courtside. Classic Glossier stickers with similar messaging are being sent out with all US orders until election day on November 5.
Maybelline New York: Maybelline’s iconic “Maybe It’s Maybelline” jingle has been remastered for 2024. First appearing in a 1991 commercial for Finish Matte, the jingle has been a staple of the brand's sound for over thirty years and has achieved an 84% brand recall among consumers. The modernized remake intends to “further cement the brand's legacy in the beauty industry and cultural conversation,” as stated by the brand in a press release. Created in partnership with sonic branding agency, Sixième Son, and creative agency, Gotham, the new jingle reveals a refreshed brand melody, crafted to “capture the essence of NYC while playing into the city's dynamic energy and distinctive sounds.”
To promote the brand's refreshed sound, ambassadors Gigi Hadid, Storm Reid, Peggy Gou, and Shay Mitchell were featured across several social media posts, with videos referencing their favorite Maybelline products. In the main advertising clip, the four influencers receive a FaceTime call with the new jingle as its ringtone. They all begin to complement each other, to which the response alludes to Maybelline, beginning with guesses such as “maybe it's the lighting” ending with “Maybe it's Maybelline.” The ambassadors share their favorite Maybelline SKUs, encouraging viewers to do the same and asking them “What's your maybe?”
"Sound has the power to influence how we see the world, evoke emotion, and spark connections," says Michael Boumendil, President of Sixième Son. "With the new 'Maybe it's Maybelline' jingle, we set out to do all three, creating a melody that represented the energy of New York and the self-confidence and vitality that Maybelline prides itself on while paying homage to the original jingle from the '90s. Together with Gotham, we fused both sound and visual creativity to showcase, in three powerful seconds, the lasting impact Maybelline has within culture."
Philosophy: In the spirit of spooky season, Philosophy partnered with horror film legacy actress Sarah Michelle Gellar (star of Buffy, Scream 2, and The Grudge to name a few) for its R Rated campaign. The initiative aimed to showcase that “not all retinol products are scary,” highlighting the brand's new Ultimate Miracle Worker Face & Neck Cream.
The campaign, which launched across multiple social media platforms, played on the fear or trepidation several consumers feel about incorporating retinol into their skincare routines. The marketing moment took the form of a short film, directed by Joe Pernice, produced by Rich Salamone, and filmed by renowned horror Director of Photography Jason Krangel, known for his work on multiple blockbuster horror films such as Resident Evil: Retribution and Metamorphosis. The film shows Gellar timidly approaching her bathroom filled with fearful sounds and flashing lights, as she enters, letting out a piercing scream, the actress realizes the mystery is “only retinol” and instantly calms down to apply the product. To further amplify the campaign, Philosophy gave away 1,000 Rated R Fandango promotional codes, redeemable for a free movie ticket throughout October and a sample of the Ultimate Miracle Worker Face & Neck Cream.
Kiehl’s: Continuing its journey to a more circular economy, Kiehl’s encouraged its consumers to opt for refillable formats through its “Don’t Buy, Just Refill” campaign. The campaign was created to inspire and drive environmental action while highlighting the global impact plastic waste has on the planet, particularly earth's highest peak, Mount Everest, which the brand supports through its Everest Expedition sponsorship, where they have used products to support climbers on their journeys since 1998. Referencing Everest as “the world's highest landfill,” Kiehl’s tackled the issue through a humorous yet impactful video.
Directed by Stop-Motion Director Mark Waring, the clip includes animated trash singing to a parody of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.” The jingle contains updated lyrics referencing plastic's ability to remain in landfill for several years after being discarded. At the end of the clip, the voiceover states “plastic can survive for 100s of years in landfill, or forever in your bathroom. Don’t rebuy, just refill.” The campaign falls in line with Kiehl’s vision for a circular economy by 2030, which has included other efforts such as optimizing its 125 ml jar designs to cut plastic use by 40%. At Kiehl’s flagship store, consumers can replenish favorites like Calendula Face Wash, Creme de Corps, and Amino Acid Shampoo, and receive a complimentary 300 ml aluminum bottle with 50-70 ml extra formula at no additional cost. The brand was the first in beauty to collect empties in stores in the UK, and in the US, has collected over 828,330 product containers to date.
e.l.f Cosmetics: Often praised for its out of the box marketing strategies, e.l.f has taken the “get ready with me” (GRWM) craze to the next level. Moving the trend from social media and into consumers' everyday lives, the brand has released “Get Ready With Music, The Album,” a collection of 13 songs by emerging global artists that the business feels perfectly aligns with the uplifting “GRWM” mood. Tracks featured are described as “upbeat, creative, and impossible to forget, each one dedicated to brave listeners who embrace their individuality.”
The album was created after e.l.f research found that 92% of women say listening to music while getting ready boosts their mood, 77% say makeup and music makes them feel a sense of belonging and community, and 65% say listening to music while getting ready enhances their makeup application experience. The album will lead the brands entertainment content, encompassing movies, gaming, and sporting events. The albums lead single, "Hairpin," by Charlotte Rose Benjamin, debuted on September 4 and has already become the top-performing video on e.l.f’s YouTube channel with almost 10 million views.
“'Get Ready With Music’ engages our full community spectrum, spotlighting the cosmic connection between music and beauty. Our platform is a beacon of expression and empowerment. Whether you are an emerging artist, a longstanding member of our community, or visiting our channels for the first time, every eye, lip, and face is invited to live their bold truth and be their best (s)e.l.f.,” says Kory Marchisotto, e.l.f. Beauty Chief Marketing Officer.
The 7 Virtues: Barb Stegemann’s fragrance brand took a humorous approach in its latest advertising campaign, emphasizing the longevity of the The 7 Virtues perfumes, which are said to last up to 24 hours and linger for up to 72. The campaign features a series of videos (published to YouTube) in which the actors joke about how long they’ve gone since showering, playfully underscoring the idea that the fragrances' endurance is so strong daily showers become unnecessary.
The comedic angle plays on typical fragrance advertisements and their romanticism for life. In one clip, advertising the newest scent, Candied Lychee, a young woman is seen running through a luscious green garden in a white gown with fresh flowers, all pointing towards a clean vibe, only for her to whisper sensually to reveal she hasn't showered for 48 hours. She then goes on to state “my secrets are safe, at least for now” before being embraced by her lover.
In another clip, showcasing Vanilla Woods, a scientist and her assistant go on a mission to prove the scent can last for three days. In the video, the duo go to different locations—a cafe, a gym, and a club—aiming to stay awake until the fragrance can no longer be smelled. By the end of the ad, the scientist is seen struggling to stay awake, affirming that the scent did in fact last for 72 hours. The comedy of the clips helps to engage the audience by blending humor with the product’s key benefit, creating a memorable and relatable message.
