Corpse Paint Vault. Keepsake Coffin Box. Is it Halloween? No. It’s another unexpected beauty collab. Marketing icons e.l.f. Beauty and Liquid Death joined forces for this metal AF limited-edition launch.
If you were hoping to “slay the corpse paint trend,” we regret to inform you that this kit is no longer with us. It sold out at record speed.
Can you guess how fast?
45 minutes.
Yes, that’s correct.
While you can’t purchase this item, there is SO much to unpack – so let’s dive in.
Our first impression of the drop dead gorgeous partnership was something along the lines of “ACTUALLY ICONIC,” followed quickly by, “Wait, why????”
According to e.l.f. CMO Kory Marchisotto, “e.l.f. and Liquid Death share a passion for self-expression and unexpected creativity. We are both challenger brands on a one-way path to disruption.”
There’s a lot more alignment when you truly think about the way these two disruptive brands show up in the world and continue to entertain us, even if they sometimes leave us a little mystified in the process.
As soon as the teaser went live, mass excitement was inevitable.
e.l.f. went on to drop their bizarre and hilarious digital commercial featuring two girlies and a metal head with the coveted Corpse Paint Vault, but our favorite part of this campaign?
Enter Julia Fox.
(By the way, if this all feels a bit like a fever dream, that was entirely the goal.)
But yes, Julia Fox partnered with the brands to be a walking advertisement in NYC. Decked out in a full beat from the Corpse Paint Vault, Fox walked her dogs around the city looking glamorous and gothy as she succeeded at her mission of attracting further attention for the collab.
While the campaign has gone viral, prior to this, “corpse paint” was NOT trending. This may have been a given, or further clarified by influencer content, but we wanted to clarify… just in case.
So what did the $34 kit even contain?
e.l.f. included everything needed to “murder your eyes, lips, and face”:
Dead Set – Matte Magic Mist & Set
Kiss of Death – O FACE Satin Lipstick in All Night
Eye Die – No Budge Cream Eyeshadow in Wispy Cloud
Dead Line – H2O Proof Eyeliner Pen
Brush with Death – Putty Applicator
Closed Casket – Reusable Coffin Keepsake Box
You might be wondering why this collab occurred in March vs. October (or on April 1st). According to Liquid Death, it was to add to the unexpectedness and weird factor of it all.
Unexpected collabs have been a favorite for coverage here at The Beauty Brief. Professionals and fans alike are constantly craving innovation and creativity from our industry and risk-tasking brands are ready to serve it up.
While the novelty of it all may not be your cup of tea, this collab undeniably has a lot of takeaways we can all benefit from when looking at it from a marketing perspective.
Consumers want to be engaged, entertained, and feel like they are a part of a community. We have to continuously seek new ways to provide this for our audiences as marketers and brands. When they have so many options to choose from, there needs to be continued effort to stand out in a very crowded space.
This doesn’t mean you need to go full e.l.f. – but think of how you could implement a creative campaign that would make sense for your particular brand. It’s clear that the opportunities are limitless.
To further engage audiences, a giveaway is currently in progress offering a chance to win one of the sold out kits. If you’re interested in entering, you have until 3/31 to do so on e.l.f.’s insta. All you have to do is follow both brands, like the giveaway post, and drop an emoji in the comments.
What do you think, besties?
Are you ride or die for this collab?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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