Maybelline, which turns 108 this year, partnered with MTV and Paramount Brand Studio to create its first TikTok campaign targeting the Millennial consumer.

The group created an offshoot of the iconic “My Super Sweet 16 TV” series called “My Super Stay 16.” It features Isabel Galvin and Hayden Cohen, and taps into the nostalgic franchise to highlight Maybelline’s Super Stay portfolio of products. 

“As a brand, we need to remain culturally relevant in conversations, and nostalgia is a big part of it,” says Fernando Febres, vice president of marketing for Maybelline in the United States.

Maybelline, a L’Oréal subsidiary, wanted to tie the brand equity of MTV’s My Super Sweet 16 with its Super Stay products.

It began working on the TikTok campaign three months ago. The MTV Brand Studio team led the process, from script and creative development to production and distribution.

Series like these not shot on phones tend to be filmed in horizontal format and later edited and cropped to fit a vertical TikTok format that creates challenges and limitations.

“What was unique about this partnership is that we shot in high definition vertical format from the beginning ensuring the series would work and look well in its intended vertical medium like TikTok,” he said.

Measurement tools being used include the typical video views, likes, and engagement for organic measurement.

“The quickest way we can see the success of a campaign on this platform is through consumer engagement,” Febres says. “The five episodes we posted up until today — we see great engagement, comments and consumers are excited about seeing our brand integrated with My Super Sweet 16.”

Maybelline closely monitors comments as a key performance indicator (KPI). It’s the organic side of marketing, as with search engine optimization (SEO), but the campaign will have a paid-media buy.

“Oh, I didn’t realize this was an ad” is the type of comment that excites Febres most.

Five of the six videos the company posted for this campaign have a total of more than 5 million views. The first video was posted September 25, 2023.

Media buys will come next, Febres said, supported by brand-lift studies and video click-through rates.

A microsite was created to draw traffic to and from the TikTok campaign and paid media.

Maybelline, which turns 108 this year, partnered with MTV and Paramount Brand Studio to create its first TikTok campaign targeting the Millennium consumer.