Dive Brief:

• American Eagle and E.l.f. Cosmetics have partnered to launch a limited-edition makeup and skincare collection paired with a collaborative marketing campaign, according to a press release. 
• The campaign, “From Selfie to Belfie,” includes a social media content series and partnership with Gen Z actor Carlacia Grant, who will create content for the brands’ social channels. The retailers also made an original song and custom TikTok filter, offering TikTok users that post with the filter and song a chance to win $10,000.
• Consumers can shop the collection on E.l.f. 's newly launched TikTok shop, which lives on the brand’s page, and through livestream shopping platform NTWRK, among other channels. The effort is the latest move by the two brands centered around Gen Z.

Dive Insight: 

American Eagle and E.l.f. Cosmetics have routinely unveiled innovative marketing efforts targeted for Gen Z, however, a tie-up could help the two extend into previously uncharted territories. The effort marks the first fashion partnership for E.l.f. and the first beauty partnership for American Eagle, per release details, offering the brands a chance to more easily tap into niche audiences.

“Just like American Eagle, E.l.f. is a team of disruptors who embrace the importance of ‘retailing at the speed of Gen Z,”  said Craig Brommers, CMO of American Eagle, in the release. “Our brands speak directly to Gen Z — we meet them in their closet, while E.l.f. meets them at their vanity.”

Central to the effort is the four-piece makeup collection, which launched today (March 30), and heavily nods to American Eagle, touting the fashion retailer’s denim tag on the “Denim Daze” eyeshadow pallet and a pocket beauty bag crafted with the brand’s denim material. An affordable price point for the limited-edition release could help drive Gen Z interest, with the most expensive item — a bundle including every product — priced at $50. 

Timed to the collection’s launch, the “Selfie to Belfie” campaign (the latter term a portmanteau of "butt" and "selfie”) is meant to encourage consumers to share both their makeup and jean looks. With a strong focus on TikTok, app users can share a video boasting their looks using the hashtags #elfAE and #Sweepstakes, the custom TikTok filter and original song, “Take a Belfie,” for the chance to win the collection, cash prize and naming rights as the “Jean Queen.” 

Original songs aren't new for either brand, but have grown increasingly popular for TikTok marketing efforts. Last year, American Eagle became the first brand on the platform to use the SoundOn feature to craft an original song, while E.l.f. in 2019 was the first to launch a branded hashtag challenge that featured an original song. The beauty retailer also released its second original song, “Lip Positions,” earlier this month.

While an emphasis on TikTok isn’t uncommon for either brand, the latest effort arrives as U.S. threats of a nationwide ban against the ByteDance-owned platform intensify, indicating how important of a marketing asset the app has become for retailers vying for Gen Z. To round out the campaigns, the brands are also looking to livestream shopping — an asset that has been slow to grow — through E.l.f.’s TikTok shop, which allows users to shop products featured in posts and livestreams, and on livestream shopping platform NTWRK, the latter also including a selfie stick available for purchase.

The tie-up between American Eagle and E.l.f. continues a long stretch of digitally driven efforts by the two brands. E.l.f has become increasingly focused on its digital strategy as the end to third-party cookies looms while continuing to target niche audiences like gamers. Likewise, American Eagle has seen a strong return on investment from its bets on Snapchat’s augmented reality tools and its ongoing presence on Roblox.