Sometimes all press really is good press …but sometimes it isn’t. 

The new Mean Girls movie musical was meant to tell the story of Cady Heron v. the Plastics for a new generation. Even its ads said “this isn’t your mother’s Mean Girls.” E.l.f. cosmetics, like the new film, is a mega brand tailored to Gen Z, so why was the internet ablaze with criticism for the use of e.l.f. products in the movie? Shouldn’t Gen Z plastics love Gen Z makeup? Not exactly.

Product placement in film and tv is a costly, but largely effective way to be top of mind for your target consumer. It boosts sales, it increases brand awareness, and it combines the powerful emotions we feel for our favorite characters and stories with our favorite brands. So why does it feel so disingenuous as soon as it’s noticeable? 

There were two main failures for e.l.f. x Mean Girls: 

1. The products didn’t seamlessly and believably fit into the story of the film. Regina George sings that she’ll crush Cady beneath her “Louboutin heel.” E.l.f recently beat out both CoverGirl and Revlon for the #3 spot in cosmetic market share, but it’s simply not a luxury brand. Almost any characters other than post-plastics Cady and queen bee Regina (the two touting e.l.f. lip products) would have been a better fit. 

2. Product placement seemed to fall straight out of a commercial. At one point, Damian asks Cady what lipstick she’s wearing and she holds it up and rattles off the name like a microinfluencer talking to the camera. Far from feeling in on a joke, movie-goers found this moment uncomfortable and extremely forced. Even movie goers who love e.l.f. wanted the moment to end. 

The internet is full of cringey lists of product placement failures. Yet many of the brands with the most forced moments are alive and well, despite uncomfortable scenes that feel clipped out of a commercial. While awkward, E.l.f.’s mishaps with Mean Girls haven’t seemed to hurt the brand. Instead, homemade parody videos along with reactions to the product placement littered Tok Tok. 

E.l.f. is playing in the big leagues. On top of excessive placement in a $36MM movie, this year will be its second consecutive year with a Super Bowl Ad. Though e.l.f. used to be a simple budget brand, its marketing evolution mirrors its product evolution, its clever understanding of “dupe” culture, and its commitment to progression. 

Maybe some day soon, it would even make sense for Regina George to use it.