In 2019, E.l.f. Cosmetics became the first brand to create a song for TikTok. Called “Eyes. Lips. Face,” the song reached No. 4 on Spotify’s Global Viral Chart.
Now, the brand has teamed with creative agency Madwell to release a Spanish-language, similarly-titled song: “Ojos. Labios. Cara,” which is Spanish for “Eyes. Lips. Face.” Colombian star Manuel Turizo sings the song, which E.l.f. sees as an opportunity to reach the Latinx community.
The song will launch on Turizo’s YouTube channel, which has 9.5 million followers. It will also be released on iHeart radio and via E.l.f.’s YouTube and TikTok accounts. Twenty-four-year-old Turizo has another 14.3 million followers on Instagram and 6 million on TikTok. He has had more than 25 platinum hits on the Latin Billboard charts, and his collaboration with Shakira, “Copa Vacia,” debuted at #4 in October 2019. Turizo’s song will be released as both a single and a music video, the latter of which was shot to appear within a 1940s music video set.
The video celebrates pachucas, or Mexican-American women who wore zoot suits during World War II. The suits were a symbol of rebellion when cloth was being rationed for the war. Versions of suiting, vests and suspenders are seen on the dancers in the music video.
The song, written by Turizo, tells the story of a Latin woman who catches his attention. A verse’s lyrics are: “Your eyes say what your lips keep quiet, I feel everything comes to a standstill if I look at your face, You blew my mind, there’s no going back, We start all over again, so it doesn’t end.”
The project has been in the works for about six months said Patrick O’Keefe, E.l.f.’s vp of integrated marketing communications. The video was filmed in late September.
E.l.f. took its time to “find the right talent that makes sense for the brand and aligns with our values and principles, which Manuel definitely does,” O’Keefe said. “The concept, the idea, the genre and the spirit celebrate women in the culture and in the community, [which aligns with] our mission and our story.” The brand speaks frequently about being for every eye, lip and face, regardless of the person’s background.
“With every beat and lyric, we strive to encourage women to embrace their boldness, confidence and cultural roots,” Turizo said. “I’m proud that E.l.f. is not only celebrating beauty but is also giving back to the community through their partnership with the Maestro Cares Foundation.”
In keeping with E.l.f.’s purpose-driven philosophy, the campaign, which will run for two months, has a philanthropic element. The brand is making a $50,000 donation to the Maestro Cares Foundation, an organization supported by Turizo. It works to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged children and communities in Latin America and the United States by providing housing, education programs and other essential resources.
While E.l.f. has always worked with diverse creators, the partnership with Turizo represents its biggest moment of focus on the Latinx community thus far. “This is just our first entry into the space, and we will continue to build upon it,” O’Keefe said.
“We know that [Latinas] spend 77% more on cosmetics than [the general population]. Over 60% use nine or more makeup products regularly, but only 34% of Latinas feel like the beauty industry is embracing their and culture,” O’Keefe said, referencing data from NielsenIQ, Diverse Voices: Exploring Hispanic beauty consumers, Oct 2022 and Mintel, Hispanics and Personal Care, 2022. “We want to be part of changing that [34%] number.”
O’Keefe added, “We do over-index with this community. And this is our time to show up in a way that makes sense for E.l.f.”
In addition to furthering its mission of inclusion, E.l.f. has another, perhaps more ambitious, goal: to have another streaming hit.
“We always have big ambitions. We want to make this song rank in the No. 1 spot. The campaign will span the next two months, and it will live across multiple channels.” O’Keefe said. Mario Lopez will be supporting the song on his radio show, as will Ryan Seacrest, he said.
