What is elf cosmetics matt rife campaign?

The e.l.f. cosmetics Matt Rife campaign was a parody advertisement launched August 11, 2025, featuring comedian Matt Rife and drag queen Heidi N Closet as fictional attorneys defending customers against overpriced beauty products. The campaign sparked immediate backlash due to Rife’s history of controversial jokes about domestic violence, leading e.l.f. to issue an apology and end the campaign within days.

The Campaign Concept and Launch

e.l.f. Cosmetics released “The Law Offices of e.l.f.ino & Schmarnes” on August 11, 2025, as part of its ongoing strategy to create humorous, entertainment-based marketing. The campaign parodied the iconic 1990s commercials from Buffalo law firm Cellino & Barnes, with Rife and Heidi N Closet playing “affordable beauty attorneys” who protect customers from expensive cosmetics.

The ad featured Rife delivering the line “I know a thing or two about red flags. And pricey makeup? You deserve better than that,” while encouraging viewers to call “1-855-COLD-HARD-LASH.” The campaign aligned with e.l.f.’s established brand voice—the company had previously created viral campaigns including “So Many Dicks” (addressing boardroom gender inequality) and featured Jennifer Coolidge in their 2023 Super Bowl debut.

e.l.f.’s CMO Kory Marchisotto told Business of Fashion that Rife was selected based on his TikTok demographics: 80% female followers and 75% under age 34, matching e.l.f.’s core Gen Z audience. The brand had recently found success with their “Sunhinged” comedy special featuring multiple comedians, which influenced the decision to work with another comic.

Why the Campaign Triggered Backlash

The controversy centered on a fundamental disconnect between e.l.f.’s brand values and Rife’s public history.

Matt Rife’s Controversial Background

Rife opened his November 2023 Netflix special “Natural Selection” with a joke about domestic violence. He recounted visiting a restaurant and seeing a female server with a black eye, then quipped: “Yeah, but I feel like if she could cook, she wouldn’t have that black eye.” He followed with: “I figure if we start the show with domestic violence, the rest of the show should be smooth sailing.”

When faced with backlash, Rife posted a fake apology on Instagram directing offended viewers to a website selling “special needs helmets.” This response amplified the controversy rather than resolving it.

Rife had also publicly stated his intention to shift away from his predominantly female fanbase. In a Variety interview, he said: “Despite what you think about me online, I don’t pander my career to women. I would argue this special is way more for guys.”

The Brand Values Conflict

e.l.f. Cosmetics has built its identity around women’s empowerment. The company:

• Maintains a board that is 2/3 women and 1/3 diverse (one of only four among 4,200 publicly-traded U.S. companies)
• Sponsors women’s sports including the National Women’s Soccer League, Professional Women’s Hockey League, and Billie Jean King Cup
• Uses the tagline “Empowering. Legendary. Females.”
• Targets a customer base that is overwhelmingly female

Social media users immediately identified the contradiction. Comments included: “Matt Rife? The guy who jokes about DV? In an ad targeted to women? That’s, um. A choice,” and “Was literally no one else available?” Selling Sunset star Chrishell Stause publicly questioned the casting decision.

e.l.f.’s Response and Damage Control

The brand issued a statement on August 14, 2025, three days after the campaign launch:

“You know us, we’re always listening and we’ve heard you. This campaign aimed to humorously spotlight beauty injustice. We understand we missed the mark with people we care about in our e.l.f. community. While e.l.f.ino & schmarnes closes today, we’ll continue to make the case against overpriced beauty.”

In an exclusive interview with Business of Fashion, CMO Kory Marchisotto admitted: “Obviously we’re very surprised. There is a big gap between our intention and how this missed the mark for some people… We find ourselves in a position where, quite honestly, that doesn’t feel good for us.”

Marchisotto explained that the vetting process focused on Rife’s social media metrics and engagement rates, which showed strong positive interaction from his female-majority audience. The team apparently did not conduct a thorough brand safety check of his past content and public statements.

The response drew criticism for being insufficient. The original campaign video remained on e.l.f.’s Instagram, and many commenters demanded the brand go further by donating to domestic violence organizations. Comedian Grace Amaku commented: “Words over actions pls take that post down. I know it cost a lot of money but this is the price to pay if you truly care about your community.”

Matt Rife himself commented on the apology post: “Had a great time ❤️❤️,” which many interpreted as tone-deaf given the circumstances.

The Vetting Failure: What Went Wrong

The e.l.f. controversy reveals a critical gap in influencer partnership processes. According to industry best practices outlined by social media management platforms, brand safety checks should include:

1. Historical content review – Scanning past posts, videos, and public statements
2. Comment section analysis – Identifying patterns of problematic interactions
3. Media coverage search – Googling the creator’s name for controversies
4. Values alignment assessment – Evaluating whether the creator’s public positions match brand values

e.l.f. appears to have prioritized demographic data over values alignment. Marchisotto’s statement that they focused on Rife’s “80% female” TikTok following and “strong positive engagement” suggests the vetting stopped at surface-level metrics.

This represents a common pitfall in influencer marketing: confusing audience overlap with brand fit. Rife’s followers may have matched e.l.f.’s target demographic, but his public statements directly contradicted the brand’s core mission of empowering women.

The timing compounded the error. Rife’s domestic violence joke had generated widespread media coverage in late 2023, making it easily discoverable through basic research. His subsequent fake apology and statements about not wanting to “pander” to women were well-documented.

Broader Implications for Brand Partnerships

The e.l.f.-Rife incident fits a pattern of celebrity partnership failures in 2025, where brands face heightened scrutiny from values-conscious consumers, particularly Gen Z.

The Authenticity Imperative

Gen Z consumers—e.l.f.’s primary audience—prioritize brand authenticity above nearly all other factors. Research shows this generation quickly identifies and calls out perceived hypocrisy. When a brand that champions women’s empowerment partners with someone who jokes about violence against women, the contradiction becomes a flashpoint.

This demographic grew up with social media literacy and expects brands to conduct the same level of research they can do themselves in minutes. The fact that e.l.f.’s customers could immediately identify the values mismatch that the marketing team missed damaged trust in the brand’s judgment.

Financial Stakes

e.l.f. Beauty had been on a remarkable growth trajectory before this incident. The company reported 40% net sales growth in Q2 fiscal 2025, reaching $301.1 million, and gained 195 basis points of U.S. market share. This marked their 23rd consecutive quarter of growth and market share gains.

While the long-term financial impact of the Rife campaign remains unclear, brand boycotts driven by social media can reduce sales by 15-30% in affected categories, according to recent research on consumer boycott movements. Even short-term reputation damage can disrupt the momentum of high-growth brands.

The Co-Star Dynamic

An interesting element of this controversy was the presence of Heidi N Closet, a beloved drag queen from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Many commenters expressed sympathy for Heidi, who was contractually obligated to appear alongside Rife. Social media users noted the irony that e.l.f. could have featured Heidi alone or paired her with a comedian from one of the communities Rife has disparaged, creating a campaign that actually aligned with their values.

What This Reveals About Modern Marketing

The e.l.f. cosmetics Matt Rife campaign serves as a case study in the evolving relationship between brands and creators.

Metrics aren’t enough. Demographic alignment and engagement rates matter, but they can’t substitute for values alignment. A creator with the “right” audience can still be the wrong partner if their public persona conflicts with brand identity.

Speed of backlash has accelerated. The campaign launched Monday and faced calls for cancellation within hours. By Wednesday, e.l.f. had issued an apology. This compressed timeline leaves little room for damage control and demands proactive vetting rather than reactive crisis management.

Apologies require action. e.l.f.’s statement acknowledged the mistake but took limited concrete action. Keeping the original ad posted while claiming to have “heard” customers created cognitive dissonance that commenters immediately identified.

Past behavior predicts future performance. Rife’s Netflix special aired in November 2023, nearly two years before the e.l.f. campaign. His controversial content wasn’t hidden or obscure—it was his most high-profile work. This makes the vetting failure more difficult to explain.

The Campaign’s Aftermath

As of mid-August 2025, e.l.f. ended the “e.l.f.ino & Schmarnes” campaign but faced ongoing criticism for the inadequacy of their response. The incident generated discussions across beauty communities, marketing forums, and social media about:

• The necessity of comprehensive influencer vetting
• Whether brands can recover from values-misalignment controversies
• The responsibility of platforms and talent agencies in flagging potential risks
• How companies should respond when campaigns go wrong

For e.l.f., a brand that had successfully built cultural relevance through bold, values-driven marketing, the Rife partnership represented an uncharacteristic misstep. The company’s previous campaigns had demonstrated cultural awareness and authentic commitment to their stated values, making this failure particularly surprising to industry observers.

The controversy also sparked broader conversations about accountability in comedy, the difference between edgy humor and harmful content, and whether brands have a responsibility to avoid platforming creators with histories of punching down at marginalized groups.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly did Matt Rife say that caused the controversy?

In his November 2023 Netflix special “Natural Selection,” Rife opened with a joke about a restaurant server with a black eye, implying she was a victim of domestic violence because she couldn’t cook. When criticized, he posted a fake apology directing offended viewers to helmets for people with disabilities, doubling down on offensive content.

Did e.l.f. fire Matt Rife?

e.l.f. ended the campaign but didn’t explicitly “fire” Rife. Their statement said “e.l.f.ino & schmarnes closes today,” indicating the campaign was discontinued. Rife commented “Had a great time ❤️❤️” on their apology post, suggesting the professional relationship ended amicably from his perspective.

How did e.l.f. not know about Matt Rife’s controversies?

According to CMO Kory Marchisotto, e.l.f. focused on Rife’s demographic data (80% female TikTok followers) and engagement metrics. This suggests their vetting process prioritized audience overlap over brand safety checks that would have revealed his well-documented controversies from 2023.

Has this affected e.l.f.’s sales or stock price?

Immediate financial impact data isn’t publicly available yet. e.l.f. had been experiencing strong growth (40% net sales increase in Q2 2025) before the incident. Long-term effects will depend on whether the controversy damages customer loyalty among their core Gen Z demographic.

The e.l.f. cosmetics Matt Rife campaign demonstrates how quickly brand partnerships can shift from strategic opportunities to reputational liabilities. In an era where consumers expect brands to embody their stated values consistently, surface-level vetting based on demographics alone creates significant risk. The incident reinforces that successful influencer partnerships require alignment across three dimensions: audience, values, and risk profile—and missing any one of these can undermine even the most creative campaign concept.