Dive Overview:
According to information provided to Marketing Dive, ELF is the first official beauty partner of Hot Girl Walk, a fitness organization that encourages women to exercise. To celebrate the partnership, the cosmetics company released a two-minute video parodying the atmosphere of a televised sports competition. Olympian Gabby Douglas and actor Patrick Warburton act as sports anchors in the clip, providing play-by-play commentary on the three walkers’ competition. Developed in partnership with agency Movers+Shakers, the parody capitalizes on the Olympic excitement while tapping into popular TikTok trends. The “Hot Girl Walk Championship” parody aims to further establish ELF as an entertainment brand.
Dive Insights:
Elf is tapping into a social media trend to promote its PowerGrip Dewey Setting Spray with a sports show-style parody. The creative clip, which features Douglas and Warburton sitting side by side, touches on the excitement of the Olympics as well as the so-called “hot girl walk.” The parody comes with new sponsorship and product bundles as the company seeks to solidify its credibility as an entertainment brand.
“The genesis of the Hot Girl Walk Championship was twofold: first, we had an insight that our community, and even ELF employees, are crazy about group walks. Second, our community is raving about Power Grip Dewy Setting Spray’s incredible makeup adhesion and staying power,” chief brand officer Laurie Lamb said in a statement.
The Hot Girl Walk is typically four miles long and is designed to encourage participants to focus on mindfulness. The parody shows the challenges walkers face, such as people blowing leaves, and is narrated by Douglas and Warburton in a sports broadcast style. The “Championship” winner set her makeup with Power Grip Dewey Setting Spray before starting her walk. Mia Lind, creator and founder of the Hot Girl Walk, makes a cameo as a judge.
To tie the parody into real-world activities, the cosmetics company will sponsor a Hot Girl Walk event in Miami next month, coinciding with the release of Snapchat lenses that further the brand’s efforts in the mobile channel. Elf has long leaned into digital trends to reach younger consumers, and recently launched a real-world commerce experience in partnership with Roblox, a gaming platform popular with younger consumers.
Elf continued its entertainment-led marketing efforts last month with an Animal Planet-style ad starring British actress and activist Jameela Jamil, focusing on digital and TV. The company increased its marketing spend to 25% of net sales in fiscal 2024, a significant investment that has helped the brand attract younger consumers and grow sales.
