BRAND STRATEGY
Why this brand matters?
Luxury was traditional defined by price
But e.l.f. disrupted the category by delivering clean, high-performance
products at mic-dropping prices.
In doing so, they transformed luxury from a status symbol into a democratized accessible experience — for every eye, lip, and face.
e.l.f. proved that when beauty is inclusive and accessible, communities form naturally around the brand.
TONE OF VOICE
Formal
Friendly
Traditional
Progressive/Disruptive
Accesible
Expensive
Serious
Playful/Humorous
Unsustainable
Sustainable
Community
Individualistic
Limited
Inclusive
TARGET AUDIENCE
Maya — The Value-Driven Beauty Explorer
Persona 1
22 year old-Student / early-career professional.
Working a survival job
Motivations
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Self-expression and confidence
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Looking polished on a budget
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Feeling put-together daily
Buying Habits
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Discovers products on TikTok and social media
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Experiments with affordable beauty
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Chooses products that deliver strong performance for the price
Challenges
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Balancing bills, personal confidence and social life.
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Limited disposable income
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Wanting quality without overspending.
Maya — The Practical Value Seeker
Persona 2
34 year old-Working mom
Managing household responsibilities and a job
Motivations
-
Reliability
-
convenience
-
value for money
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dependable routines
Buying Habits
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Shops at drugstores and online
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buys trusted products that last
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prioritizes practical purchases
Challenges
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Managing family expenses while maintaining self-care
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avoiding overspending
Persona 3
Inclusive Self-Expression Community
Inclusive Self-Expression Community
Diverse individuals who love makeup to express identity and creativity
Motivations
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Representation
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confidence
-
self-expression
Buying Habits
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Experiments with looks
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supports inclusive brands
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chooses affordable products
Challenges
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Finding products that work across diverse skin tones and features
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Wanting brands that are genuinely inclusive, not performative
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Balancing self-expression with affordability
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Seeking real representation in shades, campaigns, and design
WHY I LOVE THIS BRAND
What makes someone fall in love with a brand—and stay loyal through different phases of life?
For me, it started with discovering e.l.f. Beauty through a YouTuber who believed great makeup shouldn’t break the bank.
My first purchase was the Cookies & Cream palette I found at TJ Maxx while searching for a blue eyeshadow for my cousin’s bridal shower—beautiful, affordable, and under $10.
Later, the Lip Oil became part of my daily routine before work, even though I was always a matte-lip person.
And just last Christmas, I bought the Champagne eyeshadow, loved it so much that I convinced my friend—who rarely wears makeup—to try it too.
Different phases of life.One consistent brand.
CAMPAIGN EVALUATION
What-
What-
A viral TikTok music challenge celebrating inclusivity and self-expression in beauty.
How-
Created an original song with producers and launched a hashtag challenge encouraging user-generated videos.
Where-
TikTok globally, supported by Spotify and social media platforms.
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When-
October 2019, becoming the largest branded TikTok campaign in history with 4+ billion views.
What-
A product created directly from fan reactions to the Super Bowl ad.
How-
Turned an improvised joke from Jennifer Coolidge into a real product.
Where-
Online and retail distribution channels.
When-
Shortly after the 2023 Super Bowl campaign.
What-
A humorous Super Bowl ad promoting the Power Grip Primer.
How-
Developed quickly using celebrity storytelling and product humor.
Where-
Super Bowl broadcast and social media amplification.
When-
February 2023, produced in just three weeks.
What-
A provocative campaign highlighting lack of diversity on corporate boards.
How-
Used real data to create bold messaging about representation.
Where-
Wall Street — digital billboards, subway stations, and public spaces.
When-
May 2024, as part of their diversity initiative.
What-
A parody-style campaign inspired by personal injury lawyer ads.
How-
Featured comedic storytelling with influencer collaboration.
Where-
Social media platforms, primarily TikTok and Instagram.
When-
October 2019, becoming the largest branded TikTok campaign in history with 4+ billion views.
What-
A playful collaboration blending beauty and food culture.
How-
Launched a pickle-inspired lip balm with co-branded storytelling.
Where-
Online, social media, and select retail stores.
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When-
2025, as a limited-edition summer collaboration.
What-
A limited-edition collaboration combining beauty and beverage culture — featuring bold, edgy branding and product storytelling.
How-
e.l.f. partnered with Liquid Death to create a disruptive, humor-driven campaign that blended beauty with the brand’s signature irreverent tone.
Where-
Digital platforms, social media, and online retail.
When-
It positioned e.l.f. as culturally aware, playful, and willing to collaborate outside traditional beauty categories in 2023
e.l.f. operates at the intersection of culture, community, and commerce — turning marketing into cultural participation.
elf Campaign Portfolio
Strategic Framework
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HOW WOULD I INCREASE BRAND AWARENESS
The Problem
People often assume quality equals high price.In beauty, perception drives value.
Consumers believe:If it looks good → it must be expensive.
The Insight
People trust experience more than advertising.Once they try the product,their assumptions change.
So, I would create
The Citywide Blind Beauty Challenge
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Participants try the makeup (blindfolded or not)
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They guess the brand and/or price (final format decided by the company)
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The reveal shows the product is from e.l.f. Cosmetics
Participants will receive a customizable ELFIDENCE bag
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Your name
Inside the ELFIDENCE bag:
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Their product of choice
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A juicy coupon
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Two reminder stickers — because good decisions deserve evidence.
Product-Focused Social Content Creation
