Sunnie’s founding principle is to set up young women for success without pressure of having it all figured out
OAKLAND, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–e.l.f. (NYSE: ELF) is partnering with Hello Sunshine to make the future brighter – with young women leading the way.
e.l.f. announced today its foundational partnership in the launch of Sunnie, a first-of-its kind media, experiential and lifestyle brand created to support, inspire and champion the next generation of women as a full ecosystem and community.
The founding principle is that teens and young women need tools – not rules – to succeed without the pressure of having everything all figured out.
As Sunnie’s partner, e.l.f. is proud to support the Reese Witherspoon-founded Hello Sunshine in building a highly inclusive online and offline experience that champions curiosity, celebration and connection. Sunnie offers a safe space for young women to nurture themselves and one another on their own terms. It’s a movement rooted in a belief that confidence is a muscle, community is a fuel and joy is a form of rebellion.
Witherspoon and e.l.f. Beauty Chief Marketing Officer Kory Marchisotto are to appear together today at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in Cannes, France, for a conversation called “Joy Is Rebellion: Hello Sunshine and Gen Z Rewrite the Narrative.”
“At e.l.f., we use our platform to create pathways for growth for the next generations. Our stars align with Sunnie’s mission to help young women star in their own stories,” said Kory Marchisotto, Chief Marketing Officer, e.l.f. Beauty. “We are joining forces to create cultural change and give rising stars what they’ve been missing to reach their highest potential: tools, support and space to shine.”
To ground the platform in real insights, Sunnie commissioned a research report in partnership with Etre and Ypulse – The Gen Z Rewrite – surveying 1,000 girls ages 13-18. Sunnie is a direct response to the learnings, prioritizing a content, community and experiential platform designed to deliver the positivity, inclusivity and accessibility these young women need versus performative marketing. The data found that 92% of 13- to 18-year-olds appreciate brands that encourage them to define success in their own way.
“We couldn’t be more proud to have e.l.f. as a foundational partner in bringing Sunnie to life,” said Hello Sunshine’s Head of Direct-to-Consumer, Maureen Polo. “Sunnie is built to fuel connection, creativity, and confidence—and e.l.f.’s fearless approach to disrupting norms and celebrating self-expression makes them an ideal partner in this mission. Together, we’re creating a cultural force that meets young women where they are and empowers them to shine on their own terms.”
As a foundational partner, e.l.f. is supporting Hello Sunshine as it creates a multifaceted content engine across platforms, including:
- Emotional wellness and identity
- Storytelling and shared experience
- Real-life tools – delivered playfully
- Self-expression and style discovery
A highlight to support self-expression and empowerment is a feature called color e.l.f.-nalysis, a beauty-meets-identity tool featured in Sunnie’s newsletter and on Pinterest that helps users discover their “color season” and own their personal aesthetic.
About e.l.f. Beauty
e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF) is fueled by a belief that anything is e.l.f.ing possible. We are a different kind of company that disrupts norms, shapes culture and connects communities, committed to positivity, inclusivity and accessibility. Our mission is clear: to make the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip and face. Our brands, e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. SKIN, Keys Soulcare, Well People and NATURIUM are led by purpose, driven by results and elevated by our superpowers. e.l.f. Beauty offers e.l.f. clean and vegan products, all double-certified by Leaping Bunny and PETA as cruelty free and we proudly stand as the first beauty company with Fair Trade Certified™ facilities. A kind heart is at the center of our ethos: We donate 2% of net profits to organizations that make positive impacts.
About Hello Sunshine
Founded by Reese Witherspoon, Hello Sunshine puts women at the center of every story it creates, celebrates and discovers. Hello Sunshine tells stories across all platforms – from scripted and unscripted television, feature films, animated series, podcasts, audio storytelling, and digital series – all shining a light on where women are now and helping them chart a new path forward. Hello Sunshine is also home to Reese’s Book Club. Fast growing in reach and influence, this community is propelled by meaningful connections with stories, authors, and fellow members.
Hello Sunshine is part of Candle Media, an independent, creator-friendly home for cutting-edge, high-quality, category-defining brands and franchises. By bringing together elite talent operating at the intersection of content, community, and commerce, it helps to position leading entertainment businesses for accelerated, sustainable growth in the current market and beyond. Candle is run by its Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs, leading entertainment executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, and backed by investment capital from funds managed by Blackstone’s flagship private equity business.
Contacts
Samantha Critchell
scritchell@elfbeauty.com
Matthew Avento
matthew.avento@ledecompany.com
