E.L.F. Cosmetics breaks ice with Toronto Maple Leafs to increase inclusivity
E.L.F. is working with the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs for its Eyes.Leafs.Face. campaign. The name is a play on the global beauty brand’s name, which stands for eye, lip and face. The partnership seeks to connect with the Canadian professional hockey team’s female fan base.
The campaign has kicked off for the 2024–25 season with advertising, in-arena events, digital integrations and social media initiatives.
“Partnering with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the most globally recognized hockey team, was a natural extension of our commitment to inclusivity,” says Patrick O’Keefe, chief integrated marketing officer of E.L.F. Beauty.
“Forty-five percent of the Leafs’ fan base is female and the Eyes.Leafs.Face. campaign allows us to connect with these incredible women in a way that’s rarely been done before. We love creating unique, tailored experiences that resonate with them directly.”
E.L.F. sport support
E.L.F. says it has long supported women in sports, including fans, and aims to be present in female communities. It previously supported the Big Game and Indianapolis 500 to “give voice to underrepresented communities to foster inclusivity.”
With a commitment to democratizing access for players and fans, E.L.F. Beauty expresses support to the Professional Women’s Hockey League, the National Women’s Soccer League and the Billie Jean King Foundation.
According to the 100% vegan beauty brand, its support of sports aligns with its values of empowering self-expression and promoting inclusivity, which expands the boundaries of beauty.
“We’re thrilled to welcome E.L.F. Cosmetics as a partner of the Toronto Maple Leafs,” says Kimberlee Welch, senior director of Global Partnerships, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.
“This collaboration unites two passionate fan bases and two pioneering brands for one groundbreaking mission: to promote inclusivity and celebrate the diversity of our growing hockey community. We can’t wait to see the creativity that Eyes.Leafs.Face. will inspire among Leafs Nation.”
E.L.F. recently teamed up with world champion blind swimmer Anastasia Pagonis to serve the broader community. Beauty brands this year have been teaming up with sports teams and athletics, especially during the Olympics.
In recent findings, its “Not-So-White Paper” suggested that having women on boards correlates to better price-to-earnings ratios.
The brand also teamed up with Tinder to “Put Your E.L.F. Out There” with a new collection that included limited-edition products available in the US and UK.
