OPPORTUNITY
e.l.f. Cosmetics came to goDutch with buzz-worthy products and an online fan base, but with a brand that lacked a beauty point-of-view.
e.l.f. COSMETICS
Beautifying a fast-growing brand.
Created to challenge industry conventions, e.l.f. Cosmetics launched in 2004 with $1 products that rivaled prestige beauty brand offerings.
After 10 years of steady growth and a cult-like following, e.l.f. came to goDutch for help refreshing their brand in the face of increasing competition. We worked together to clarify their unique brand promise, establish a clearer voice, and refresh the identity and brand experience to be more relevant and engaging to their make-up enthusiast loyalists.
Despite very little advertising and no celebrity endorsements, e.l.f has gone on to become one of the fastest-growing and most in-demand beauty brands. They’ve gone from an online brand to broad retail distribution, from Target and CVS, to Old Navy and Ulta, and as of today have launched 19 of their own stores.
In 2016, e.l.f Cosmetics went public. According to Fortune, “Wall Street investors…are clamoring to own a piece of the newly public cosmetics brand…Shares soared more than 50% from the offering price.”
IDENTITY
We started by refreshing the e.l.f logo to be more sophisticated to effectively compete in the beauty category.
BRAND STRATEGY
Working together, the goDutch and e.l.f. teams clarified and articulated the brand’s point of difference, personality and tone of voice. We established a unique point-of-view in a crowded category to allow for differentiation and expansion.
ACTIVATION
The packaging was simplified and elevated to stand out in a crowded retail environment. We established a system that allowed for fast and frequent innovation.
