Milani Cosmetics looks to reality TV for ‘America’s Next Top Primer’ campaign
Milani Cosmetics is tapping into some major nostalgia with its latest campaign, which tackles all the madness of the infamous “America’s Next Top Model” reality show.
The appropriately titled “America’s Next Top Primer” is a campaign by the beauty brand that pits together various primers to see which will come out on top.
“Early 2000s nostalgia is part of the cultural zeitgeist today, and we saw the perfect opportunity to revisit the era that gave rise to our brand and marked the golden age of reality television,” said Jeremy Lowenstein, CMO of Milani Cosmetics. “This campaign playfully showcases the power and innovation of Milani’s new primer while celebrating a genre that defined the Millennial generation and continues to captivate Gen Zers and Gen Alphas, today’s leading culture-drivers.”
The campaign spotlights the brand’s Conceal + Perfect Blur Out Smoothing Primer, which has been formulated to feel like whipped souffle on the skin, and delivers a cooling senstation while blurring, moisturizing and holding makeup, the brand shared.
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“We set out to deliver something unexpected that would resonate beyond traditional beauty marketing,” said Ellen Markus, vice president of marketing of Milani Cosmetics. “By leaning into social-first storytelling and a universally relatable makeup struggle, we’re creating a moment that gets people talking, sharing and engaging with Milani in a whole new way.”
Included in the video is a panel of judges and a host that includes Zainab Johnson, Ele Woods, Amber Joy, and Joe Hegyes. Content creators Natalie Shine, Zoe Kim and Imani Blackmon are also part of the campaign.
“As an indie brand, Milani’s superpower is our exceptionally talented and nimble in-house teams, giving us the agility to move at the speed of culture while keeping true to our brand DNA,” said Valerie Enriquez, global creative director of Milani Cosmetics. “In a fast-moving industry oversaturated with bold marketing stunts, we set out to create a whimsical, mischievous campaign that is unmistakably Milani and impossible to ignore.”
The campaign will roll out across digital and social channels, including MilaniCosmetics.com, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube beginning March 15, 2025.
“As Milani’s Conceal + Perfect franchise continues to be a major growth driver, we are committed to reinforcing our position as a leader in mass beauty by investing in cutting-edge formulations, strategic category expansion and meaningful consumer engagement to drive both brand loyalty and business impact,” said Mary van Praag, CEO of Milani Cosmetics.
