Aurora Gonzalez

In August 2025, e.l.f. Cosmetics—one of the most disruptive voices in beauty marketing launched their latest campaign, “e.l.f.ino & Schmarnes.” Styled as a cheeky legal parody, the campaign stars drag performer Heidi N’ Closet and comedian Matt Rife as a courtroom duo fighting “the case against overpriced beauty.” The activation included a commercial, a pop-up “courtroom” at The Oculus in NYC, and even a hotline for consumers to “file their beauty grievances” 

Initially, the campaign had all the ingredients for an e.l.f. Success: it was high-energy, humorous, and aligned with the brand’s mission of making quality beauty affordable. However, it soon faced a backlash that overshadowed its intended message, raising essential questions about brand alignment, audience perception, and risk assessment in influencer partnerships.

The Root of the Controversy

The public’s issue wasn’t with the campaign concept itself, but with one of its stars: Matt Rife.

In his 2023 Netflix special Natural Selection, Rife made a domestic violence joke comparing a woman’s black eye to her inability to cook. The joke drew sharp criticism for trivializing abuse, and while Rife later defended his humor as edgy and equal-opportunity, many felt the joke crossed the line. 

When e.l.f., a brand with a predominantly female, socially conscious audience, chose Rife as a campaign lead, social media erupted with criticism:

“The guy who jokes about DV? In an ad targeted to women? … That’s, um. A choice.” (Primetimer)

“I refuse to support a brand that platforms a man that thinks domestic violence is funny.” (Daily Dot)

Some critics even suggested this was a deliberate instance of outrage marketing—leveraging controversy for viral attention (Daily Dot).

e.l.f.’s Brand Voice & Why This Stung

Over the past few years, e.l.f. has built a reputation as an inclusive, bold, and values-driven beauty brand. Their past campaigns have featured diverse casting, partnerships with creators from the LGBTQ+ community, and messaging rooted in empowerment.

The brand has also leaned heavily into humor, as seen in 2024’s “Judge Beauty” campaign, which positioned them as the fun, approachable alternative to luxury cosmetics. (Marketing Brew)

But humor can be a double-edged sword in PR:

When it lands, it generates buzz, shares, and an emotional connection.

When it misses or the messenger is controversial, it alienates the very audience it is meant to entertain.

In this case, the casting of Rife clashed with e.l.f.’s established female-forward and socially conscious identity.

The PR Risks at Play

From a strategic communications perspective, the controversy touches on three key risk areas:

1. Influencer Reputation Risk

In 2025, audiences will scrutinize brand-influencer alignment more than ever. Consumers expect companies to vet collaborators beyond follower counts and engagement rates. Even if a comedian’s brand is “edgy humor,” the context matters mainly when that humor previously targeted sensitive issues like domestic violence.

2. Audience Mismatch

e.l.f.’s core consumers are largely Gen Z and Millennial women—two groups that are not only socially conscious but also vocal online. Their loyalty is tied to brand values, making any perceived misalignment particularly costly.

3. The Outrage Marketing Question

Some speculate that e.l.f. Anticipated the backlash. While outrage marketing can be effective in driving conversation, it’s a risky gamble. It may increase awareness, but it can also permanently erode trust. Given e.l.f.’s past image, this tactic risks coming across as disingenuous.

Lessons for PR Professionals

This case study offers several takeaways for communicators:

Do Deep Due Diligence on Talent

Vet not just the influencer’s current content, but their past work, public statements, and controversies. Humor, in particular, ages quickly and not always well.

Prioritize Brand-Audience Alignment

A partnership should feel authentic to the brand’s voice and values. If the influencer’s public persona could alienate your target demographic, reconsider the pairing.

Plan for Crisis Communication in Advance

If you take a calculated risk with a polarizing figure, have a reactive PR strategy ready, including statements, spokesperson training, and a clear social listening plan.

Consider the Long Game

A short-term buzz isn’t worth a long-term loss of brand equity. The safest influencers may not always be the most viral, but they protect the brand’s integrity.

Final Thoughts

The Matt Rife x e.l.f. Cosmetics controversy illustrates a fundamental truth in modern PR: the messenger matters as much as the message.

While the “e.l.f.ino & Schmarnes” campaign was clever, its execution faltered because the choice of talent overshadowed the concept. Whether this was an unintentional misstep or a calculated risk, it has sparked an essential conversation about responsible influencer marketing, the role of humor in brand storytelling, and the limits of brand bravery.

In a landscape where consumer trust is currency, brands must carefully decide when it’s worth spending it.