TikTok superstar and beauty aficionado, Mikayla Nogueira originally entrusted e.l.f. Cosmetics to create her perfect wedding day lip combo in 2023 and the e.l.f. Cosmetics community went wild for the partnership with it selling out in 18 minutes - a record-breaking moment for the brand. Flash forward to August 2024, fans were calling for a restock of the Mikayla Marriage Material Lip Do and e.l.f. Cosmetics responded with a unique surprise and fan moment of delight, by making Mikayla the e.l.f. “CEO of the Day.” The stunt was geared to turn a routine product restock into a unique and playful moment that would resonate deeply with the e.l.f. Cosmetics’ community.
This campaign, spearheaded by Viral Nation, aimed to create excitement and engagement around the restock of Mikayla’s Marriage Material Lip Duo by leveraging Mikayla Nogueira’s influence and creativity. The goal was not only to restock the product but to elevate the launch into a viral event that would drive sales, boost brand awareness, and further cement the connection between Mikayla and the e.l.f. Cosmetics community.
To bring this campaign to life, we made Mikayla Nogueira e.l.f. Cosmetic's “CEO of the Day,” turning the restock into a creative stunt that blended humor, corporate parody, and influencer culture. The campaign began with Mikayla’s first order of business, to bring her viral lip kit back into production, and her “executive decisions,” which included mandating brat summer vibes, all of which brought an infectious energy to the campaign and created cultural resonance. Other key features included Mikayla’s playful takeover of the e.l.f. Cosmetics brand narrative and the integration of social listening to ensure the campaign resonated with her followers. One challenge was ensuring the campaign felt authentic while driving excitement around the restock. By tapping into Mikayla's genuine connection with her audience and infusing the campaign with her personality, we overcame this by making the experience feel personal and relevant. The unique blend of humor and influence helped make the restock more than just a product launch—it became an event.
The campaign was an overwhelming success, achieving all the objectives set out. The Mikayla Marriage Material Lip Duo restock sold out in just 10 hours, surpassing expectations and proving the power of influencer-driven product launches. The campaign garnered over 19 million views on TikTok, with an impressive average engagement rate of 9.3%, demonstrating how effective the campaign was in driving consumer engagement. The buzz generated by the campaign also led to positive media coverage in top-tier outlets like People and trade publications like TubeFilter and Ad Age. The campaign not only drove sales but amplified the brand’s impact across social channels, creating an unforgettable moment in the beauty industry. The success of this campaign demonstrates how a creator collaboration, executed with creativity and cultural relevance, can create lasting excitement and drive substantial business results.