Makeup Brand’s Statement Doesn’t Fix Matt Rife Backlash

E.l.f. has released a statement in response to the backlash surrounding a commercial featuring comedian Matt Rife, whose past jokes about domestic violence have caused controversy.

The commercial, which aired recently, stars Rife as fictional injury lawyer “E.l.f.ino,” alongside his partner “Schmarnes,” played by drag performer Heidi N Closet. The ad is a nod to the iconic Cellino & Barnes attorney commercials from the 2000s.

In their statement, e.l.f. acknowledged the concerns raised by their community, stating, “This campaign was intended to humorously highlight beauty injustices. We recognize that we missed the mark with some members of our e.l.f. community.”

“While e.l.f.ino & Schmarnes may be closing their doors, we remain committed to challenging overpriced beauty products,” the statement added.

Despite the commercial’s comedic intentions, viewers expressed outrage over Rife’s involvement due to his controversial humor, including misogynistic jokes from his Netflix special in 2023, “Matt Rife: Natural Selection,” where he joked about domestic violence.

Following the ad’s release, several influencers with large followings criticized the company, with some vowing not to collaborate with e.l.f. in the future.

Kory Marchisotto, e.l.f. beauty’s global chief marketing officer, explained to The Business of Fashion that the choice of Rife was aimed at reaching Gen Z women and girls, given his TikTok following demographics.

“We are genuinely surprised by the negative feedback,” Marchisotto said. “There was a significant disconnect between our intentions and how this was received by some individuals… Our goal is always to spread positivity, and this campaign fell short of that. It’s a situation that doesn’t sit well with us.”

Despite e.l.f.’s apology, many fans remain unsatisfied, expressing their disappointment on the brand’s social media platforms.

“This apology falls short. What steps will e.l.f. take beyond acknowledging the mistake? Consider supporting organizations that aid domestic violence survivors,” one Instagram comment read.

“You apologized but the video is still on IG????,” fashion influencer Hanan Besovic (@ideservecouture) questioned. “You’re apologizing for something that’s just a scroll away!!! It doesn’t make sense!!! Remove the campaign if you truly understand the issue.”