From Viral Campaigns to Global Growth: Inside e.l.f.’s Brand Engine

0:00Elf is continuing to shape culture with our community by operating in real time. And another facet of that, and again, this might change in six months, is captivating new audiences. How do we decide where's the boldness coming from? It goes back to that principle of disrupting norms. To thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape, brands must move in an ever-increasing pace. I'm Matt Britton, founder and CEO of Suzy. Join me and key industry leaders as we dive deep into the shifting consumer trends within their industry, why it matters now, and how you can keep up. Welcome to the Speed of Culture.

0:38Up today on the Speed of Culture Podcast, we're thrilled to be joined by Laurie Lamb, the chief brand officer at Elf Beauty. With a bold focus on purpose-driven growth, cultural storytelling, and boundary-breaking innovation, Laurie is at the helm of Elf's campaigns, global expansion initiatives for empowering women in sports to launching next generation beauty brands like Rode and major retailers like Sephora. Laurie, so great to see you today. So wonderful to be here. Thank you, Matt. Absolutely. You know, Elf is such a great story and has really become one of the most culturally relevant brands in the beauty space.

1:08How do you define a brand today? And how's that definition evolving with all the changes we've seen to the marketing and advertising landscape? Yeah, well, the way that we view brands too is maybe a little bit different, but I really see it through our vision. And what we do at Elf is we go and we seek building these powerhouse brands in this incredible portfolio that disrupt norms, shape culture and connects communities. And I feel that starts with brand. And the way that we view that is through that lens. Everything we do starts with brand. And a brand has to be multifaceted to have all of those, the vision.

1:42And then of course our mission, make the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip and face, starts with brand. You can't kind of say, oh, that's a statement and we're going to put it on the wall and that's it. You really have to live and breathe it. Also, when you think about our powerhouse innovation and every single insight led social and TV campaign that you mentioned, starts with brand. So we really see it as this ecosystem, if you will, of everything that we do is built around that and that brands can't really ignore a single facet of it because what powers it is all these elements together.

2:11Yeah, especially more than ever before where the brand is really dictated and driven by the consumer. And you mentioned community. And I know Elf really prides itself on building and fostering communities. What's the brand philosophy behind that? And what have been some of the tactics that you found effective at building a thriving brand community? Yeah. Our community that we serve is here because of the brand that we stand for, right? And my role is ensuring that we're listening to our community, delivering clean, cruelty-free beauty with positive inclusivity, accessibility. Our community, to put it in other words, is the foundation and they are a pipeline.

2:46They are a pipeline for feeding what it is that this brand stands for. What do we care about? what do you care about? Like what our community cares about is actually what we care about. What our community wants is what we actually put out there and serve them with. So they want value. They do want clean. They want cruelty free. They want an alternative to some of the high cost premium cosmetics that they see out there that they can't get in a brand that actually feels like we're a bestie. And I think that's the perfect combination of it. When you're listening to your brands and you're building that relationship with your community through social or through an event, that's what makes the difference.

3:22And our community 100 % is the reason where Elf is today. Yeah, I think another reason the brand also is where it is, is that you're not afraid to make bold moves. So Elf has played in the gaming space, which is somewhat unexpected for a beauty brand. Obviously, you've done a ton of work on TikTok and obviously you've had partnerships like the one you have with Chipotle. What's the process for deciding kind of which cultural spaces are worth entering for the brand that you feel is gonna of just drive impact and ultimately ROI? That's a great question. I love that because I think it's been evolving though.

3:55If you asked me this question six months later, it might not be the same, but that's okay. I think one of the facets is we move at the speed of community, whether it's developing something like our viral halo gloss lip kits that we did for our community, by the way, was born out of our community, to dropping a care package in the middle of the ocean for a new sensation, Oliver and his cat. Elf is continuing to shape culture with our community by operating in real time. And another facet of that, and again, this might change in six months, is captivating new audiences. How do we decide where's the boldness coming from?

4:27It goes back to that principle of disrupting norms. And so we are one of the first beauty brands that we're on to go onto Twitch and do new platforms, not wait for these reports that tell you, everyone's there already. As long as our community is there, we will go. And I think that's what took us from when I talk about captivating new audiences, it's from disrupting norms as the first beauty brand to activate across NASCAR, Snapchat, Roblox, as you mentioned, Twitch, to open these new communication pathways for our brand, whether it's Elf Skin, which is one of our namesake brands, bringing that onto Instagram and saying, we have a new pathway to build with this brand.

5:01We have to do it in record time because they're there. Or it's where we continue to feel fandom on our existing platforms while capturing new fans in new arenas by bringing in other things that they would say, I love cars, but I also love Elf. I love watching the big game. You're overlaying passion points. Exactly. You're finding a way to kind of overlap that Venn diagram. And I think another aspect of how we think, what to go after next, how to create this boldness or where that radiates is really around cultivating cultural capital. And what I mean by that is we live at the intersection of beauty, culture and entertainment, just to bring that Venn diagram into play.

5:38and feeling new subcultures in a culturally relevant and emotional resonant way is where we found we win. Whether it's a collab, whether it's a launch that we're bringing that our community asked for, whether it's even partnering with someone like Project Hello Sunshine and bringing on Sunny and trying to really build another platform for us to build cultural capital, but also captivate a new audience in the meantime. Absolutely. I know that I would imagine being on Omni channel also really helps. Having a real in-person presence allows you kind of, when you talk about community and understanding your consumer versus just being, you know, an e-commerce brand.

6:14Talk to me about the Omni channel approach and how you're able to lean into a physical presence to also kind of, I guess, round out your overall touch points with the consumer. Yeah, I think we do that with a lot of intention. I'll say that because when you think about it, Elf was started as a brand that was actually digital first. It started, for those of you listening who actually don't know, started as a brand, Father Son Duo, that sold cosmetics over the internet for a dollar over 21 years ago. And a dollar, like Matt, a dollar. I don't know that even now that would work. And we're like, oh, I don't know.

6:47I don't know if I want to take that gamble. But this was 21 years ahead of its time. And when the founders did that, it was done with intentionality. It was how do I create a sense of community and really allow a consumer low barrier for them to come into a cosmetic brand. And so we started digital first. So a lot of the principles that you see in terms of our digital disruption, the way that we listen to our community, they started with them. It was before ratings and reviews became a thing. And you have a dollar lip pencil. I'm sure I'll give you some feedback. I wish it was creamier. Great, the founder's like, let's make the next formula creamier.

7:21And that very essence of how the brand was founded is still in place today. So when I say we don't wanna forget our digital roots, it's actually who we are. it shapes our disruptive marketing engine. But we have matched that with, obviously, there's been a lot of retailer interest to get us into stores. So it's been a very intentional track, I would say, right? Going into Target, that was our first retailer, now our number one retailer, really proud of being there, eventually building to the point where we're in multiple retailers, even last year going into Sephora, Mexico, because we know Mexico has high demand for our community.

7:55And I can go into that later in terms of where we've broken international global barriers, really. And at the same time, we went into Dollar General, because we realized there's beauty deserts and the people who have to, it's not as easy as finding a Sephora in your corner. And it's not as easy as driving to an Ulta that's maybe five blocks away or 10 minutes from your home. We are reaching every and that's part of who we are as a brand. It's like when you stand for every eye, lip and face, which is our acronym and our name, you really want to make sure that's fully represented in every single way possible.

8:28And I talked about that earlier with accessibility, positivity, inclusivity, and accessibility. Accessibility, that word has so many different meanings. Price accessibility, ability to get to it and find your products and not have to drive through two hours to find a suitable SPF, for example. I mean, you must have read my mind because my next question was about global expansion, because obviously it's hard enough to understand the consumer with all the changes that are taking part in culture and society. But obviously when you layer on the cultural nuances of global expansion, it becomes even more complex.

9:01So what are the considerations before you go into a new market? And how is marketing to consumers different on a market-by-market basis? And I guess what goes into executing upon that? I'll start by saying that we are all one connected global community. If you hang out on our social or join a live stream from our team or our C-suite, you will see a tapestry of countries and different communities represented. It's beautiful. And Elf today actually has less than 20 % of its business outside the U.S. But the ripple effect of social has broken those barriers. At the end of 2024, we were in about 15 countries, all of them being driven by the community because I want you here.

9:40Please, Elf, I can't find you. And I think the way that we've gone through this is the same way that we've done our U.S. expansion intentionality. We've expanded our reach with our unique value proposition first and foremost. That doesn't change. Whether you're shopping in Italy or you're shopping in U.S., you're going to get that very same things and the same principles of what Elf does. You're going to find this product. It's going to be clean. It's going to be value-driven. You're going to see that. The powerhouse innovation, the disruptive marketing engine also resonates. And that growth that we've seen in non-U.S.

10:09markets and that consumer demand is coming because of social. And what we do, and I think part of that strategy is that we engage with the community before entering that market. So we drive up that consumer demand and excitement. You don't just launch and say we're here, but you make sure that there's a groundswell of interest on the brand. Exactly. Not just planting a flag, but really engaging with that community, finding that there is a demand for us. And then what we do is we partner with key retailers. We build strong connections with our local communities. And that's sort of how we go to market with it.

10:43a great example of where I think demand, when you talk about the cultural nuances, I think you were going in there, right? You got to listen to grow. Expanding internationally is not just a revenue stream or a ticket to that. You have to really listen to what they're saying. And sometimes you also make the calls yourself. So I'll tell you a really good example. We launched in Italy in the end of 2023. The launch itself was a call from our community to which my Italian husband found a lot of pride in and whose family actually helped vet our tagline at the time. True story. And when you work at Elf, it's a family affair.

11:13But what we found was that Italian women weren't using primer. So meaning they weren't applying power grip primer to their face before their foundation to lock in that look. And we said, oh, but the team was like, they don't do it. It's not something that they do. We trusted our gods. We heard the community. We saw like on social, no way, because that demand is there. They're like, bring this here. I want this primer. Make it in this color. Make it in that. And so we took that gamble and we placed the bets and we launched with Power Grip Primer actually being one of our key primary assets. And it became the number one product.

11:46That's a great story. I met you shows also just the power of a real consumer insight. I think that word gets thrown around so much, but it's a great example of how it can truly unlock business and growth. I love what you just said. It's an opportunity to learn, right? You have to learn new consumer behaviors and adapt products meaningfully. TikTok is TikTok, right? Social is social. And when you think about it too, what's interesting is we commit to traveling as a family. And what I find is even when you're abroad, whether it's Ulta here or Sephora abroad, teen behavior, Gen Z is Gen Z. They are still making values-driven choices.

12:18They're still reshaping their expectations based on transparency. As a company, sustainability, your brand purpose, what do you stand for? Am I proud to have you in my bag? Right. Those are almost universal truths, if you will. Exactly. They're universal truths. And I think that's one thing where I see social has broken down that. And we have a very global tapestry. And that's what's really driving our international strategy. We'll be right back. With the speed of culture, after a few words from our sponsors. So you mentioned social and how important it is even before your products are available in a market.

12:49Obviously, social is rooted in community, which we've already touched on, but also content. What types of content and content applications, whether it's the form factor of the content or the channels you're leaning into, have you found to be really effective? And ultimately, what is your storytelling strategy for the brand? Yeah, I love that question. I would say, maybe it's not a strategy, but I think it's a mode of operation is moving at the speed of culture. Our brands create campaigns that are culturally relevant, but they're also emotionally resonant. So humor helps with recall, first and foremost.

13:21Audiences are 80 % more likely to retain something that's funny, surprising content, and we don't take ourselves too seriously. We take our innovation, our product safety, and our comments very seriously, but we don't take ourselves too seriously. I'll give you two examples of that. one where humor helps with recall and we drove with that strategy. We had launched our amazing Halo Glow liquid filter and we, through our community, discovered it's not a one-trick pony. Some people thought it was just a concealer. Some people thought it was foundation. Some people use it as a highlighter. Some people use it as...

13:50It was so many different purposes. They were using so many different elfin ways that we actually took it from a one-trick pony and talked about how it's not a one-trick pony and it's actually a multi-talented small bone horse. And that campaign was, I mean, it was talking horse. Like our creative team sat in a barn for like a week. So name a team that would do that, right? Name a team that would use a horse as a spokesperson, so to speak. And we did because you weren't applying it on, you know, there was no application even. So we break the traditional mold of how advertising is done in beauty in a way that it becomes humor helps with recall.

14:23Another example I would say is, I don't know if you saw this, Matt, but our Liquid Death campaign. Yeah, we actually had Dan Murphy from Liquid Death on the podcast recently. We love Dan Murphy. and actually speaking of Dan Murphy and his team, Liquid Def was one where it played up to humor helps with recall, but the creative trust that we had in our teams and Liquid Def team to come together and we dared each other to play a different game. We are not gonna do something like get ready with me. We're not gonna just launch a water here and go with it. We're gonna redefine a get ready with me by going with corpse paint, right?

14:53Like here, create your corpse paint look and just wear it and rock it like it's your everyday look and we did it on a random Tuesday in March, the last Tuesday of March. This made us so uncomfortable, Dan Murphy, our teams, that it was a good thing for us to strive for every day. We take ourselves too seriously. We went for the crazy and we went under that. The other things I would say, just as a nod, would be, I would say, creativity under pressure. At Elf, we have learned that from our Billie Jean King, pressure is a privilege. And the Super Bowl is a prime example. We went and we prepared a commercial ready to be prime time, big game ready in just three weeks.

15:28Otherwise, what would probably take companies 18 months. So when I talk about moving at the speed of culture, this is what I'm talking about. Creativity and pressure. Humor helps with recall. Going after to help democratize access to dreams. And that's been a big one that we've been going after as well. And I would say overall, human connection wins. For sure. And obviously, Liquid Death isn't going to partner with a brand unless they're willing to take risks and they're bold. So it's almost like a badge of authenticity for the brand, if you will. One question that's kind of burning my head as I hear you talk is you almost talk about the things like they're matter of fact.

16:03And being someone who's worked with probably over 100 large Fortune 500 brands in my career is they often get in their own way. They often stumble. There's often bureaucracy that waters down ideas. And it just seems like Elf does not have that dynamic. So talk to me about the internal culture, which can breed such a bold way of thinking and ultimately such differentiated creativity. I love that you asked that. I think one of the very, I believe, one of the things that differentiates Elf, not only because we strive to be a different kind of company, great work thrive for our marketers that actually practice a culture of what we call HPT internally.

16:40It's high performance teamwork. It's healthy conflicts. It's passionate relationships. It's mutual accountability. It means I got your back, you got my back, but I'm going to hold you accountable to the work. And if something's not working, we're actually going to talk it out. I'm going to give you real-time feedback because the feedback is not to benefit me, it's to benefit you. So it's for the benefit of the team. And that's one thing that I feel companies have this in many different forms. Elf is one that practices every single day. And our marketing engine, because we operate at such a speed, you can't have these things that would hold you back, be barriers to actually getting great work done.

17:14And while our marketing engine is fueled by our community, we recognize that it's fueled by our employees. And it's also feel by an orbit of extended elves that don't receive a paycheck from elf, meaning our agency partners. And you have to build an orbit around you that want to be part of your orbit because of what they're seeing. They see this passionate relationships, these real bonds and connections that when you're working in a pressure cooker, these are partners that live and breathe elf just as much as anybody at elf. And part of our marketing engine is built this way because it's marketer to marketer, it's human to human.

17:48It's what creates culture and it's also what creates loyalty amongst the team. So Laurie, many heritage brands, especially in a beauty space, talk about inclusivity, but Elf really seems to live it. So how do you ensure authenticity and representation rather than just kind of box checking of which we see so much of in the advertising industry today? Yeah, well, I think this actually goes back to the fact that purpose is a huge driver of what we believe in. And Elf, we believe in showing up for our community no matter where they are. And for 21 years, we've been showing up in unexpected places to make the world a better place for every eye, lip and face.

18:22And I paused there because I talked about being for every eye, lip and face. You have a responsibility to ensure that your community is expressed in every eye, lip and face. And that's an important part for us because we feel this is actually how we align our business decisions with meaningful causes that are not just because they're noble acts, but it's because it's the right thing to do. So one of the things that we've done as a company is really focusing on the fact that so many dicks talk about representation and why our company is taking a stance to increase or have the stance towards diverse representation boardrooms is because we actually realize there are more men named Richard, Rick, or Dick on corporate boards than entire groups of underrepresented people.

19:07And the average U.S. corporate boardroom is 88 % white, but 27 % woman. And despite the fact that research shows that ethnically or gender diverse boards actually outperform, financially outperform those that don't have it. So when I think about what we commit to and how we really live our truth, this isn't something that we just turn the switch on overnight. This is actually something that has been built by design from our CEO with our board that is diverse. And it shows that when we actually focus on this, the long-term goal of our campaign that some have seen is called So Many Decks, And it's to drive systemic change in corporate leadership.

19:43And our goal is actually to commit to doubling the rate at which women and people of color added to corporate boards by 2027. And that three-year platform for us has started with NACD, where we've actually worked with them to prepare diverse candidates for board seats, working with nonprofits like 50-50 Women on Boards, working with the Latino Corporate Directors Association, for example, and actually creating a coalition that drives towards one purpose, which is to see more diverse people in seats of decision-making power. These are the people who are making decisions for your brand or your service.

20:17And obviously, that is the pinnacle of you sitting on a corporate board. We have so many younger listeners here on the podcast. And I was just wondering, given the success you've had in your career, what advice would you have specifically maybe to young women entering the workforce in terms of what are some of the skill sets that they need to acquire and areas they need to lean in earlier in their career to end up in the C-suite like you have, or perhaps even on a corporate board one day so there won't be so many dicks in boardrooms? I love this question. I know I've said that with every question, but I truly do love this one.

20:52If I was talking to someone who wanted to be in my seat one day, for example, I would say, don't tell yourself you have to be a certain age or you have to have hit all these steps in this type of succession before this X milestone. And after you achieve that, that something can happen before you get your goal. What I mean by this is you've got to let your journey be fluid. And you've got to realize that you don't have to start after each stage gate. You can start now. Be curious about what it will take for you to get to your goal state. Allow that journey to be fluid. And probably the biggest thing that I've learned in my career is setbacks are not a deaf sentence.

21:27It's actually a redirect for you to sharpen your lens and sharpen your strategy. And it might not even be a setback. I think, to your point, a lot of people think that there's this kind of linear up and to the right progression, both whether it's the success of your company or whether it's the success of your career. And ultimately, sometimes you do have to take one step back to go two or three steps forward. And you might not see it at the time. But as long as I think you're staying true to yourself and you're leaning into what makes you truly unique, you're going to end up on the right side of change.

21:55A hundred percent. Absolutely. I'd love to shift gears a little bit and talk about you and your career journey as we wrap up here, Lori, because you spend quite a long amount of time, especially for today's standards at L 'Oreal before leaving Health. I think you were there over 15 years. 20, nearly. 20 years. So that's obviously a very long time. And we've done a lot of work and continue doing L 'Oreal. And so it's a great organization. What goes into a decision to leave a place like L 'Oreal where you've continually elevated your title and status and influence to jump to more of a startup relative to L 'Oreal, how do you get the conviction to make the leap?

22:33And maybe what are some of the takeaways that some of our listeners can derive from change and actually leaping forward? Here's the thing. There's a journey that is not something I would have seen. I have to say there was, I love L 'Oreal. I still have incredible mentors and mentees that are there. It's really an incredible 20 years that I had across continents, zones, roles that expanded beyond marketing. that I really love. And for me, it was a very pivotal time in my life here. It was about two years post-COVID and I had two young girls and I was really defining what I wanted to do and started thinking about legacy.

23:11It was post-COVID. So I was having them and they were in the house with me. And I really wanted them to see mom is doing something that she really finds to be impactful and filling my cup. And it was also a really personal time in my life because I had just lost my father. And I say this because I don't think people talk about this. Sorry to hear that. I I went through the same thing recently. It really changes you in a way that I think that's changed me unlike anything else that's happened in my life. When you lose a parent, it really does reframe what's important to you. And, you know, it really does change you forever.

23:40It does. It makes you think a lot of things, your legacy, what do you want to stand for? Where do you want to live? And the year that I had joined Elf was actually the year I had set up my own intention word, which was unleash. And I was ready to unleash my creative potential, unleash a different chapter of me that I did not see. And while I had an incredible journey at L 'Oreal, when I met some folks at Elf, I actually saw a place that just to talk about the fact that they lead with diversity, sitting down with our CFO, our CMO, and our CEO. And I actually realized these are leaders that actually walk the talk as well.

24:15They really, really stand by this. And it was an environment where I knew Elf was at a stage where they were small enough to pivot, but they were big enough to do good things and great things. and that was really my entry point where I knew I would be able to come into a company that still very much feels that we're a startup. We still feel like the underdog and I knew this was a place where I would be able to live out my intention word and I think that goes back to what we said earlier, your path is never going to be linear. It's gonna be messy and there are gonna be setbacks and there are gonna be things that you actually look back at and you're like, I'm really glad that happened to me because it made me stronger.

24:51It actually made me realize what I want even more in my next chapter and I think that's a really big part that you have to continuously doing is listen to yourself, listen to your gut, listen to what it's telling you and define what it is that you want in your next chapter. There was an incredible boss I had that said, when you're leaving one place to get to the next, it's like you're holding onto one vine. And there is a point when you're leaping for the next vine where you are letting go of this one at the same time. And that's the part where you actually, I think, have the most clarity in terms of what is it that I want to do.

25:20So it's like I would push everyone to reach for that line, that leap where you are in between vines and go for it. Amazing advice. And obviously, I'm sure you've learned a lot from all the ups and downs of your career. And I think other people having that perspective is super important. To wrap up here, we always ask our guests if there's a saying or a mantra that has helped define their professional journey to date. What comes to mind for you? There's a fun one that I have. Blessed are the curious for they shall have adventures. And did you make that up or did you read that somewhere? I've actually had that since I was a child.

25:52And I've kept that quote with me everywhere that I've went, everywhere that I've lived. It's a great one to kind of think about because it goes back to what I said, right? About being curious about what it is that you want. Don't wait for a certain time. Never stop learning, right? Never stop learning. Yeah. Adventures will definitely come from it. That's for sure. Well, I'm sure you're going to have nothing but continued great adventures in your endeavors at Health Beauty. And thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule. I'm a big fan of you and the brand, as you know. So it's great for all to have you here on the podcast.

26:19Thank you, Matt. It was a pleasure. Absolutely. On behalf of Suzy and every team, thanks again to Laurie Lam, the Chief Brand Officer of Elf Beauty, for joining us today. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review the Speed of Culture podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Until next time, see you soon, everyone. Take care.

26:36The Speed of Culture is brought to you by Suzy as part of the Adweek Podcast Network and Agass Creator Network. You can listen and subscribe to all Adweek's podcasts by visiting adweek.com slash podcasts. To find out more about Suzy, head to suzy.com. And make sure to search for The Speed of Culture in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere else podcasts are found. Click follow so you don't miss out on any future episodes. On behalf of the team here at Susie, thanks for listening.