REAL LIFE/UNREAL LASHES, Save the Best For Lash

Whimsical, quirky, always playful–modern with a retro-girly twist. The brand personality of San Francisco-based Benefit Cosmetics may be lighthearted but they are very serious about the caliber of their products. Ready to launch four distinctively different mascara formulas in a highly competitive field, Benefit asked Premier to create a special promotion to get VIPs and influencers on the story.

Benefit Social Images12

Benefit Social Images13

Benefit Social Images14

Benefit Social Images6

Benefit knows its audience and is a master at connecting with beauty product devotees–you might say they wrote the book on it. Which put us in mind of an actual book—what could be more retro than a book?

With four mascaras to promote, we needed a vehicle with some heft. We kept coming back to the book idea so we presented it to Benefit and without batting an eyelash, Benefit was on board.

Premier designed, engineered and constructed a book-like form factor with the title, REAL LIFE/UNREAL LASHES, Save Best For Lash. When the cover is lifted  (notice the turned edges) the content is revealed—four new Benefit mascaras:

• BADgal BANG! Volumizing Mascara
• ROLLER LASH Super Curling & Lifting Mascara
• THEY’RE REAL! MAGNET Extreme Lengthening Mascara
• THEY’RE REAL! Lengthening Mascara.

Benefit provided the art, Premier provided the concept and production craftsmanship. The four-color print job included a nice foil stamp; a few tricks were used to keep mascaras in place, brand-side-up. The book was nicely fitted into a box, ready to be delivered exactly two months ahead of the actual product launch. Lead time matters—it makes for a strong, buzz-building interval.

For a company that believes laughter is the best cosmetic, this happy-go-lucky, pretty-in-pink beauty brand is the #1 prestige mascara brand in the U.S.  Benefit is available at more than 3000 beauty counters—that’s a lot of mascara.