NEW YORK: American artist Natalie Irish donned cosmetic-maker Urban Decay's Revolution lipstick and created nine paintings for a digital exhibit called “The Kisshibition” by literally kissing canvasses.
The initiative began on October 3, when Sephora in Times Square was transformed into an art exhibition and gallery with Irish's work displayed throughout the store for one day only. The gallery is now visible to the public on the cosmetic giant's Facebook page, which has 1.2 million fans.
The initiative is largely an awareness campaign for L'Oreal-owned Urban Decay. The core target audience for the effort is 20- to 35-year-olds. Alison Brod Public Relations is working with the brand on the initiative.
“Partnering with [Irish] was the perfect fit for us,” said Ella Tavare, assistant VP of marketing for Urban Decay. “We are always looking for creative ways to bring our product to life. And we generally look for a unique blend of pulling social media and traditional PR, as well as the consumer, together.”
A five-minute segment on New York's PIX 11 morning news the day of the event drew traffic to the store, and Alison Brod secured an exclusive story with People, which unveiled the celebrity portraits.
Urban Decay will host a giveaway on its site and through its social media channels for one of the original portraits. Each image has a retail value of $10,000 or more.
The brand also partnered with The Art of Elysium, a nonprofit that encourages actors, artists, and musicians to volunteer their time and talent to children who are battling serious medical conditions. Celebrities Olivia Munn, Anna Kendrick, Ali Larter, and
Camilla Belle all “donated” their faces to the Kissibition on behalf of the charity.
The total budget for the initiative was about $150,000, which included commissioning portraits, donations, and event costs.
