NYX is a beloved “drugstore” makeup brand offering beauty enthusiasts high-quality products at affordable prices. Despite being the “misfit” in L'Oreal's portfolio, NYX still has big bosses to answer even bigger numbers to hit (to the tune of $1B).

NYX was already in a position of power thanks to its “choke hold” on the hearts of Gen Z (#2 favorite brand per Morning Consult) coupled with its #1 position in the lip gloss category. To maintain leadership, NYX had to drive brand awareness beyond its loyalists and achieve wider fame on the world’s largest stage: Super Bowl.

Client objectives:

Be one of the most talked about brands (+1,400% in search activity)

Drive sales of Duck Plump (resulted in the highest day of traffic to site on record for NYX DTC & #5 on the TikTok Shop in Beauty (was previously sitting at #22)

Increase Brand Sentiment (95% positive brand sentiment)

Perhaps you, dear reader, relate to the fact that 7 in 10 men admit to ‘borrowing’ their girlfriend’s beauty products. Knowing this and reflecting on how much the patriarchy has already taken from women, Super Bowl feels like an obvious opportunity to flip the script.

If we learned anything from American Pie (yes, that scene) we knew what dudes would do with their dicks if left to their own devices. With that, NYX Professional Makeup launched a glorified (and very glamorous) PSA to ensure only the most proper usage of Duck Plump Extreme Plumping Gloss. To repeat: it’s all about plumping your lips, absolutely nothing else you might have in mind.

In this work, we captured the immediate reactions of men who mistakenly equate "duck" with another four-letter word, starting with ‘d’ and ending with ‘k’, leading to some regrettable decisions on where and how to apply the plumping product.

To generate maximum earned media attention especially around the Super Bowl, advertising’s biggest moment of the year in America, a multi-pronged strategic PR strategy is a must have. For NYX Professional Makeup – every media beat was thought through carefully, from an exclusive interview during the shoot with top entertainment publication The Hollywood Reporter to announcing their participation in the game to revealing our talent, music superstar Cardi B, we kept a steady drumbeat of coverage in consumer-lifestyle, advertising and beauty media. Each “drop” of news was tied with a unique asset for press. While we had a robust PR strategy leading up and post launch, we had to quickly change our approach just days before The Big Game when our spot was banned from airing. That didn’t stop the PR machine from gaining traction and telling our story with the narrative shift.

When tasked with delivering a campaign on the ad world’s largest stage you need to make a splash. Coupled with the goal of female-empowerment and broad recognition, few fit the bill quite like Cardi B and, thus, there was no one better for NYX to partner with. Together, NYX and Cardi wondered just exactly what men were thinking when they didn’t quite grasp what Duck Plump is intended for.

The concept was first pitched November 2023, shot early January 2024, with the full campaign live February 2024. In just over two months, five videos were created inclusive of two teasers, two versions of the broadcast spot, and a long form.

Work lived across broadcast, online and social where it garnered over 430M paid impressions. Organic social saw about 92M views with 455k engagements.

Already a powerhouse, NYX Professional Makeup held a firm grip on the hearts of Gen Z (ranked #2 favorite brand per Morning Consult) and dominated the lip gloss category at #1. However, to sustain its leadership, NYX Professional Makeup needed to extend its brand reach beyond its loyal following and attain broader recognition on the grandest stage: the Super Bowl.

Following its Super Bowl appearance, NYX Professional Makeup experienced a significant surge in sales. Duck Plump sales tripled, marking the highest recorded traffic day for NYX Professional Makeup's direct-to-consumer platform. Additionally, on TikTok Shop, Duck Plump climbed from #22 to #5 among beauty products.

Beyond the sales spike, Duck Plump emerged as a standout product of the game, generating a staggering +1,400% increase in search activity and garnering a 95% positive brand sentiment.