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The encyclopedia · Marketing & Brand · Marketing decision · 2025

E.l.f. Cosmetics hired Matt Rife — and its customers threw away their makeup

E.l.f. hired a comedian who joked about domestic violence. Influencers trashed its products on video; the brand apologised.

E.l.f. Beauty · 2025-08

What happened

On August 11, 2025, E.l.f. Cosmetics released a legal-themed advertisement starring comedian Matt Rife and drag queen Heidi N Closet as the fictional 'Law Offices of e.l.f.ino & Schmarnes.' In the ad, Rife quipped: 'I know a thing or two about red flags. And pricey makeup? You deserve better than that.'

The backlash was immediate. Critics noted the stark contradiction between E.l.f.'s stated mission of 'empowering legendary females' and hiring a comedian whose 2023 Netflix special included a domestic violence joke about a waitress with a black eye. Rife's subsequent 'apology' linked to a site selling helmets for people with disabilities. Major beauty influencers — including James Welsh, Katie Raymond, Jillie Clark, and Nikkie de Jager — posted videos throwing away e.l.f. products. Comments on the ad called the choice 'tone deaf' and 'disgusting.'

E.l.f. initially defended the campaign. Global CMO Kory Marchisotto told Business of Beauty that the brand was 'surprised' by the backlash and that Rife was chosen for his TikTok audience alignment. Four days later, on August 15, E.l.f. posted an apology on Instagram: 'We understand we missed the mark. While e.l.f.ino & schmarnes closes today, we'll continue to make the case against overpriced beauty.' The apology received over 6,000 comments, many criticising it as insufficient.

Why it happened

  • Rife's domestic violence joke and subsequent ableist 'apology' were well-documented — a simple background check would have shown he was a high-risk partner for a brand built on empowering women.
  • A brand whose mission is 'empowering legendary females' hired a man who trivialised domestic violence against women — the contradiction was so obvious that nobody at e.l.f. flagged it.
  • The initial defence ('we were surprised by the backlash') showed the brand had not considered its own values before approving the campaign.
What it costTrust lost; products trashed; campaign pulled after 4 daysembarrassing

The lesson

A brand's values statement is a promise, not decor. When the person fronting a campaign contradicts those values, the backlash is a predictable outcome of skipping due diligence.

Aftermath

E.l.f. pulled the campaign after four days. CMO Kory Marchisotto said the brand was 'surprised' by the backlash. The apology post received over 6,000 comments, many critical. Major beauty influencers boycotted the brand publicly.

Sources

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