To celebrate National Lipstick Day (today), MAC Cosmetics has hired the help of popular UK delivery service Deliveroo to showcase the staying power of its hero Retro Matte Liquid Lipstick.
For the #MACvFood PR stunt, MAC, which is owned by the Lauder dynasty, hired a host of influencers to apply their favourite shade of its Matte Liquid Lipstick and test it against different foods dropped off by Deliveroo.
Content creators @foreveryoursbetty, @rachleary and @spatronne were among the influencers tapped to stream content via their social media channels.
MAC UK & Ireland’s President General Manager, Fiona Sainty, said the campaign brings together two like-minded, but unexpected teams.
The initiative is also a nod to restrictions being lifted in the region.
“Driven by video creators across social, this fun and engaging co-branded partnership celebrates summer, the return of retail and eating delicious food with friends again, all with a mask and a food-ready lip colour.”
Customers can also join in on the challenge by posting their video on social media and tagging @maccosmeticsuk and @deliveroo, and using the hashtag #MACvFood.
Languishing lipsticks
MAC’s marketing push follows a slumping period for the lip care category over the last 18 months.
In the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic lipsticks fell out of favour with beauty consumers as face masks became a permanent fixture of wardrobes.
Instead, the restriction to curb the spread of Covid-19 prompted a surge in eye make-up demand.
According to NPD Group, eye make-up increased its share of the UK prestige make-up market by 3% during the UK’s first lockdown.
Meanwhile, the lip segment dipped from 14% pre-lockdown to 12% in the summer of 2020.
Premium nail care also benefited from locked down consumers and Covid-19 restrictions, with sales up 12% in the week beginning 16 March 2020, following the introduction of stricter guidance across the UK.