e.l.f. Cosmetics Revolutionises Beauty Self-Expression with Bitmoji Drops

A UK-First for Disruptive Beauty Brand

For 20 years, beauty disruptor e.l.f. (eyes. lips. face.) Cosmetics has been breaking the mould on how to reach customers. Since stepping into the UK beauty scene in 2014, the brand has continued to find innovative ways to grow its community of loyal brand advocates. 

So, when the 2023 holiday season arrived, e.l.f. wanted to continue innovating  to stay top of mind to capture the attention of an audience overwhelmed with ad content. With the goal of increasing awareness for e.l.f. lip products, the brand turned to Snap in creating an exciting UK-first collaboration with Snapchat’s virtual avatars, Bitmoji. 

A brand built around self-expression and individualism, this was the perfect opportunity for e.l.f. to immerse its target Gen-Z audience in a novel experience – while establishing its lip products as a holiday must-have. 

Creating an eyes.lips.FIRST

In the UK, over 88% of Snapchatters attach a Bitmoji avatar to their profile – with 74% of them styling their Bitmoji in the same brands they wear in real life³. Eager to evoke the joy of self-expression – in both virtual and real worlds – e.l.f. teamed up with Snap to launch the first-ever Beauty Drop for Bitmoji. 

Enabling exclusive 24-hour access to a digital version of its holy grail ‘O FACE Satin Lipstick,’ the drop enabled Snapchatters to apply the product to their Bitmoji – and themselves. With a bespoke Bitmoji Lens, audiences could try on 11 different lipstick shades alongside their Bitmoji to find the perfect match. 

To maximise reach across its target audience, e.l.f. utilised Snapchat Creators to teach audiences how to access the exclusive virtual drop and purchase the iconic lipstick, all from within the app. On the day of the drop, e.l.f. used a combination of ad placements to drive awareness at scale. Ads were placed with First Lens and First Story, and between Bitmoji Stories – one of Snapchat's most popular shows with 60 million subscribers. Together, the brand made a big impression with Snapchatters across the UK.  

Following the drop, e.l.f. continued to target audiences with its other lip products via Snap Ads and non-skippable Commercials, solidifying its front-of-mind status in the lip category during the holiday season. 

Driving Holiday Shopping Action

e.l.f. saw strong success with Snap, reaching 8 million users across the UK – including 78% of all 18+ female users⁴. But Snapchatters weren’t just looking, they wanted a piece of the action. The campaign accumulated 317,000 clicks, with over 167,000 users claiming e.l.f.’s O FACE Satin Lipstick within 24 hours of the drop.

By tapping into the playfulness of virtual self-expression, e.l.f. created a first-of-its-kind AR experience that piqued Snapchatters’ interests during a key shopping moment. With a 19s Bitmoji Lens playtime, the AR experience exceeded e.l.f.’s benchmark by 90%, proving the impact of interactive shopping experiences – for Snapchatters and their virtual selves.