Intense backlash to Matt Rife ad left makeup company very surprised, brand executive says
One executive for makeup brand e.l.f.is trying to turn down the social media temperature after her company’s latest ad sparked outrage among users for starring stand-up comic Matt Rife.In an interview with the outlet “Business of Fashion” (BOF), the beauty brand’s chief marketing officer, Kory Marchisotto, spoke about what went wrong with its ad with Rife, explaining that causing outrage was never their intention.“Obviously, we’re very surprised,” she said.
“There is a big gap between our intention and how this missed the mark for some people… We always aim to deliver positivity, and this one didn’t.”“So we find ourselves in a position where, quite honestly, that doesn’t feel good for us,” Marchisotto added.The cosmetics brand published the ad on major social media platforms last week.The commercial featured Rife and drag queen Heidi N Closet as “E.l.f.ino & Schmarnes,” a spoof lawyer duo in a legal commercial fighting for consumers’ rights to inexpensive cosmetic products.However, the clip took major heat from online users, including several major beauty and fashion influencers, who were offended that e.l.f.
would employ Rife after he joked about domestic abuse during his 2023 stand-up special, “Natural Selection.”In the special, the comic told the story of when he and his friend noticed a waitress with a black eye while they were eating at a restaurant in Baltimore.He explained that the two of them questioned why the restaurant owners wouldn’t have the employee work in the kitchen to avoid customers asking questions.“Yeah, but I feel like if she could cook, she wouldn’t have a black eye,” Rife joked.When people reacted poorly to the joke at the time, Rife doubled down, putting out a statement that directed social media users to a link offering an “apology” if they had ever been offended by a joke he told.
The link brought users to a website where they could purchase special-needs helmets.In response to e.l.f...