E.l.f. Cosmetics has reteamed with Meghan Trainor for its latest campaign, turning the pop star into a pilot for a twist on traditional in-flight safety videos. The effort, in support of limited-edition complexion bundle Cloud Skin, is the brand’s third collaboration with Trainor and is timed to the tenth anniversary and re-release of her album “Title.”
“We’re not chasing the biggest names; we’re looking for collaborators who share our values, our sense of humor and our passion for breaking norms,” said Patrick O’Keefe, E.l.f. Cosmetics’ chief integrated marketing officer, in emailed comments to sister publication Marketing Dive. “When we partner with talent, it’s about more than just putting them in a campaign. It’s about co-creating something that feels authentic to them and to us.”
In the new campaign, Trainor serves as the first captain of E.l.f. Air. The role is a nod to the fact that men constitute over 90% of pilots globally, according to Civil Aviation Authority data, and continues the brand’s purpose-driven marketing around gender equality despite an industry-wide pullback on diversity, equity and inclusion.
“Every campaign we create is about more than just products — it’s about entertaining and engaging our community while standing for something bigger. Humor and creativity are at the heart of what we do, and we also use our platform to challenge norms and champion change, all with a kind heart,” O’Keefe said.
The effort was conceptualized, cast, produced and scripted by Shadow, the brand’s long-term creative marketing and communications agency.
TikTok, Uber and beyond
E.l.f. created the Cloud Skin bundle featured in the campaign after recognizing interest in soft matte makeup, which has seen global hashtag views on TikTok increase 168% year-over-year, according to Spate data. The brand was an early mover on the platform that is now in danger of being banned in the U.S.
“E.l.f. sends a huge shoutout to our TikTok community and our creators, who were among the first to ignite the engaging two-way dialogue we as a brand now enjoy across many places and spaces,” O’Keefe said. “Our community is what drives us, not on any one platform, nor on a single channel, but across every single touch point.”
The Cloud Skin campaign will run across the artist’s social channels along with the brand’s digital ones, including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. The campaign will also show up via in-app Uber ads for select, targeted U.S. and U.K. consumers booking rides to the airport from Jan. 28 to Feb. 28.
“When we were building out the Cloud Skin campaign, we saw an opportunity to tie our creative concept into a real-world context,” said O’Keefe of the Uber placement, noting how the brand previously partnered with The Weather Channel on in-app and out-of-home content.
E.l.f. Beauty in the second quarter of its 2025 fiscal year saw 40% net sales growth, gains that it partially attributed to marketing that delivered ROI above benchmarks and expanded unaided brand awareness, per an earnings call. The company will announce fiscal Q3 2025 results on Feb. 6.
