Lauren
What do makeup and burritos have in common?
Appeal to a target audience of young women, mostly, which makes this surprising – and yet at the same time, not surprising – collaboration work. Elf Cosmetics has teamed up with Chipotle to collaborate on a new makeup collection- one that is sure to wow anyone who lives for a burrito bowl and finds themselves at Chipotle more often than not.
This limited-edition makeup collection features cruelty-free makeup essentials with a fun, and spicy, twist. Each of these pieces in the collection is inspired by Chipotle’s products and ingredients!
Here are the various Chipotle-themed items available in this makeup drop:
- Chipotle Eyeshadow Palette- Makeup wearers can add a little flavor to their makeup routines with this 12-piece eyeshadow palette. This palette features unique shades that will remind Chipotle lovers of all their favorite ingredients from pinto beans to mild salsa to fajitas. And with the Chipotle Eyeshadow Palette, the guac doesn’t cost extra! In fact, in addition to its guacamole-inspired shade, this eyeshadow palette also included an offer for free chips and guac from Chipotle valid through April 1.
- Make it Hot Lip Gloss- Elf Cosmetics guarantees Chipotle’s burritos are not the only thing that looks hot thanks to this lip gloss. This smooth, hot lip gloss is reminiscent of Chipotle’s hot salsa, offering wearers the chance to spice up their look. True to its name, the Make it Hot Lip Gloss, also adds a bit of heat and is a fun piece to add to any makeup collection.
- Extra Guac Face Sponge Set- With these avocado-shaped and avocado-pit-shaped sponges, makeup wearers can apply their makeup with the same ease as scooping up guac with a tortilla chip. No more struggling to apply makeup around the nose or places that can be a challenge to reach.
- Eyes Chips Face Makeup Bag- Those who buy products from this collaboration can keep all of their products together in this makeup bag that looks exactly like the ones Chipotle uses for its chips. This makeup bag connects with Chiptole’s Eyes.Chips.Face. Bowl, a vegan bowl created to support plant-based eating habits.
Other seemingly strange collabs
Although this collaboration might seem strange, it is not the first time that two seemingly opposite or unrelated retail brands have worked together, and- based on the results of different retail collaborations- it most certainly will not be the last.
For example, Starbucks and Spotify partnered together in 2015, Home Depot and Pinterest have collaborated with one another, Disney and Gucci have a Mickey Mouse-themed collection, Sephora partnered with The Museum of Ice Cream, and LEGO has teamed up with Levi’s. All of these partnerships and collaborations were met with great success despite the significant differences between each brand.
While certainly unconventional, partnerships like the ones above and the one between Chipotle and Elf Cosmetics work because these companies have similar target markets and similar target goals.
Although Chipotle, a restaurant chain that sells tacos, burritos, and other Mexican food, is far different from Elf Cosmetics, which specializes in selling cosmetics and beauty products, both of these retailers have the same target audience. Chipotle’s target market is young professionals and college students between the ages of 18 and 28, which is similar to the target market for Elf Cosmetics, which includes young women between their tweens and their mid-twenties.
Since their primary audience overlaps, their collaboration allows them to expand their reach and gain attention from ideal consumers in their market.
Similar values
The partnership between Elf Cosmetics and Chipotle also works because both companies share similar values: sustainability and responsibly sourced products. Elf Cosmetics offers vegan, cruelty-free makeup products that are sustainably and responsibly sourced, and Chipotle issued an all-vegan bowl- the Eyes.Chips.Face.Bowl- to help support and draw attention to this cause. Because they are on the same page when it comes to this issue, it is easier for them to come up with a collaboration that lines up with their values and attracts their target audience.
This collaboration between two like-minded retailers proved to be successful with the limited edition makeup kit selling out in mere minutes after it was released.
Marketers should learn from partnerships like these and consider ways to capitalize on exposure and connection with other businesses and brands whose key demographics, target market, core values, and company goals align with their own. Even if these businesses are as different as burritos and makeup, there can be a lot to gain from these unlikely and surprising collaborations.
