E.l.f. Cosmetics addresses backlash over Matt Rife ad amid domestic violence joke controversy

E.l.f. Cosmetics issued a public response after facing backlash for featuring comedian Matt Rife in its latest advertising campaign. The criticism stems from a domestic violence joke Rife made during his 2023 Netflix special, Natural Selection.

“You know us, we’re always listening and we’ve heard you,” the company wrote on Instagram on Wednesday, August 13. “This campaign aimed to humorously spotlight beauty injustice. We understand we missed the mark with people we care about in our e.l.f. Community.”

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The commercial, posted on August 11, features Rife alongside drag queen Heidi N Closet portraying “beauty attorneys” defending clients against overpriced beauty products. The ad quickly drew negative comments on social media questioning the decision to collaborate with Rife. The spot remains live on E.l.f.’s Instagram page.

Rife has not addressed the criticism directly but commented on the brand’s post, writing, “Had a great time ❤️❤️.” E.l.f. Beauty, the parent company of E.l.f. Cosmetics, did not respond to a request for comment.

Company explains casting decision and campaign goals

Kory Marchisotto, E.l.f. Beauty’s global chief marketing officer, told Business of Fashion that the negative response was unexpected. “There is a big gap between our intention and how this missed the mark for some people,” Marchisotto said.

According to Marchisotto, Rife was selected due to his large TikTok following, which she said is 80 per cent female and 75 per cent under the age of 34. She noted that his social media engagement was strong and positive, influencing the casting choice. “We always aim to deliver positivity, and this one didn’t,” she said.

Rife, a stand-up comedian for more than a decade, drew criticism in November 2023 for opening his Netflix special with a domestic violence joke. The remark suggested that a waitress with a black eye could not work in the kitchen because “if she could cook, she wouldn’t have that black eye.” He followed the comment by saying, “I figure we start the show with domestic violence, the rest of the show should be pretty smooth sailing after that.”

In response to the initial backlash over the joke, Rife posted an Instagram Story directing offended viewers to a website selling medical helmets for people with special needs.

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E.l.f. Cosmetics has a history of topical and culturally driven campaigns, including a 2023 Super Bowl ad starring Jennifer Coolidge and a partnership with activist-astronaut Amanda Nguyen for Blue Origin’s first all-female spaceflight. In May, the company acquired Hailey Bieber’s Rhode skin care brand in a $1 billion deal.