THE CHALLENGE —
Drunk Elephant was creating their first ever brand campaign, with a goal of bringing back the love of their loyal consumer after the backlash with Sephora tweens.
The strategy to reclaim the brand's voice and reinforce what it was always about: powerful ingredients, efficacious actives, and the intentional layering that was at the core of Drunk Elephant from day one.
That's how we landed on "Must be 21 and over." The alcohol metaphor extended naturally into brand behavior: mixology as layering, liquid courage as confidence, a grown-up reframe that made the KidTok moment irrelevant without ever acknowledging it.
The concept trickled down into individual product stories: “drunk on results”, “formulas skin can drink up”, “liquid courage”, “happy hour for your skin”, “the nightcap your skin's been dreaming about”. All rooted in the belief that the brand can be serious and fun at the same time, and performance and personality can live in the same jar.
As part of the creative vision, we proposed moving away from neon backgrounds in favor of more mature, neutral settings centered on hero products and models clearly intended for adults.
Final campaign direction and tagline reflect the client's internal approval process.
Photographer: Florian Sommet
Production: Lindsay Nelson - Baron & BaronMy Role— Creative Strategy
Brand Platform
Creative Concept
Copy Director:
Kara Neff Titone
Brand Architect
Kimberly La Fleur
Press —
Business of Fashion
Beauty Matter
Business Wire
