In Super Bowl LVIII, high-priced beauties go on trial, with Judge Judy in front of a cast of reality TV icons in the courtroom, from RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Heidi Closet to Ronald Gladden of Jury Duty fame. Serves as presiding judge.
In a dazzling return to the Super Bowl spotlight, Elf Beauty today announced its second-ever Big Game campaign, this time bringing the drama to the courtroom.
Introducing Judge Beauty, a star-studded spectacle in which none other than Justice Judy Sheindlin, an icon of the judiciary, presides over a grueling trial on the crime of beauty.
The courtroom cast looks like Hollywood, with Gina Torres taking the stage as a defendant facing allegations of overspending on a foundation. What is her sentence? $14 Glowy Skin, courtesy of Halo Glow Liquid Filter by Elf.
On the other side, Rick Hoffman is the plaintiff, suing Torres. The proceedings were expertly recorded by actress Sarah Rafferty, Judge Beauty’s trusted stenographer, and pop star Meghan Trainor broadcast the proceedings live. Keeping order in the courtroom is none other than Emmanuel Acho, a best-selling author, former NFL linebacker, and Emmy Award-winning television host who serves as bailiff.
The jury box also includes some familiar faces, including Benito Skinner, whose beloved “Cooper the Gen Z Intern” character transforms into “Cooper the Elf Intern.” Freevee’s reality hoax comedy Ronald Gladden from Jury Duty and his HeidiNCloset from RuPaul’s Drag Race join Amazon Freeve’s law clerk Sarah Rose and Prime Video’s Judy Justice I will perform with
The campaign was conceived, written, cast and produced by Shadow, with media planning by Tinuiti. Brian Vaughan, Executive Creative Director and Partner at Shadow, revealed that the viral memes surrounding Jury Duty influenced the creative vision for the campaign.
“This year, people are glued to courtroom dramas. ‘Suits’ is breaking streaming records, ‘Jury Duty’ is being talked about with glee, and our queen Judy Sheindlin is back with a new show. I did,” Vaughn said. “Taking note of that trend, we realized that the courtroom was the perfect setting to amplify the powerful values of elves with real authority, and we embraced the endless casting possibilities this world offered. We couldn’t help but get excited. It was the perfect playground for our message that elves are against expensive cosmetics.”
This year’s campaign will be a departure from last year, when Elf made her Super Bowl debut with “The White Lotus” star Jennifer Coolidge. While last year’s spot was regional, Judge Beauty will be the star of Elf’s first-ever national spot, as will its remarkably diverse cast.
Cory Marchisott, Chief Marketing Officer at Elf Beauty, spoke about how this campaign strengthens Elf’s overall brand strategy, saying: It will bring surprise and delight. ”
Elf isn’t the only beauty brand worthy of the 2024 Super Bowl. NYX Professional Makeup will make its big debut this year with a commercial starring female rapper Cardi B produced by McCann New York.
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Expressing her enthusiasm for the evolving situation, Marchisotto said, “We are rewriting the strategy for big-game ad spots to show that beauty is everywhere. We’re excited to pioneer this and see the ripple effect as more beauty brands join this comprehensive platform.”
The campaign will debut during Super Bowl 15 and a 60-second version will run across social, online, print and out-of-home platforms through spring 2024.
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