Cosmetic brand e.l.f. is known for a provocative advertising voice, secondary to their reputation for affordable products that match up to the big leagues (shoutout to the Power Grip Primer). This week, however, the brand has aligned itself with controversial comedian and social media star, Matt Rife in their new ad campaign. The decision has sparked backlash and brought up the question: Why are advertisers trying to rage-bait us?
The ad features Rife alongside drag queen Heidi N Closet as fictional lawyers “e.l.f.ino & Schmarnes.” The commercial and subsequent pop-up references parody the real-life law offices of Cellino & Barnes. Their campy commercials were iconic around the turn of the millennium.
Rife’s Controversial Past
The ad quickly sparked outrage, however, as e.l.f. fans called up Rife’s 2023 controversy when he made a domestic violence joke to open his Netflix special. His predominantly female audience was outraged, but Rife told Variety, “I don’t pander my career to women. I would argue this special is way more for guys.”
According to e.l.f. ‘s chief marketing officer Kory Marchisotto, Rife’s female audience is not quite obsolete. In fact, they’re still three quarters of his fan base— which is what made him a good candidate for the ad.
The problem for many was e.l.f’s apparent lack of research in the casting choice. A man known for domestic violence controversy being a temporary face of a makeup brand just doesn’t sit right to the internet at large. Some even suggest that it was an intentional tactic.
When asked about the choice to cast Rife, however, Marchisotto told Business of Fashion, “We [are] very much known for operating in real time… So we’re not looking in the rear view mirror when we’re operating the real-time marketing machine.”
The R.O.I. of Rage-Bait
If e.l.f. was rage baiting it’s audience, as well as the whole internet, it wouldn’t be the most outlandish thing. In fact, it’s becoming more and more common as it is profitable. We started to see it with mobile games; the ad would play it so poorly that you just had to download it to play yourself.
Lately it’s been seen as staged content to be covertly shared as an ad by the brand. In today’s divisive and incendiary climate, getting people angry is sometimes the best way to get anyone to engage with your content.
At the end of the day, we won’t know if casting Rife in an e.l.f. ad was an intentional rage-bait ploy or a genuine oversight. What we do know is that companies are looking to make us mad because it makes them money. Next time you see something that really gets under your skin, consider who stands to gain from your anger.
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