Executive Summary
When Wet N Wild approached us to launch their Big Poppa Mascara, they weren't just looking for another product campaign—they were seeking a transformative brand moment. What followed was a masterclass in integrated video production and social media strategy that would redefine what's possible in beauty marketing.
The results speak for themselves: 2.6 billion total views, 1.5 million engaged users, and an 18.6% engagement rate that shattered industry benchmarks. But the numbers only tell part of the story. This campaign represented a fundamental shift in how beauty brands connect with their audience in the digital age.
The Challenge: Standing Out in a Saturated Market
1. Navigating Market Saturation
The cosmetic industry, particularly the mascara segment, is one of the most competitive battlegrounds in retail. With established giants and emerging indie brands all vying for consumer attention, launching a new mascara requires more than just a great product—it demands a revolutionary approach to storytelling.
The challenge was clear: How do you make a mascara launch feel like a cultural moment rather than just another product release? Our answer lay in creating a comprehensive visual ecosystem that would live across every touchpoint of the customer journey.
2. Targeting the Right Audience
Understanding that Gen Z and younger millennials consume beauty content differently than previous generations, we knew traditional advertising wouldn't cut it. These audiences demand authenticity, entertainment, and participation—not passive consumption.
Our demographic research revealed that our target audience spent an average of 52 minutes per day on TikTok, making it the perfect platform for our campaign. But more importantly, they trusted peer recommendations and influencer endorsements over traditional advertising by a margin of 3:1.
3. Adapting to Digital Trends and Platform Algorithms
TikTok's algorithm is notoriously unpredictable, favoring authentic content over polished advertisements. The challenge was to create content that felt native to the platform while maintaining the production quality expected from a major beauty brand.
We studied thousands of viral beauty videos, analyzed trending sounds, and mapped engagement patterns to understand exactly what makes content shareable on TikTok. This research would become the foundation of our creative strategy.
The Production Strategy: Building a Visual Ecosystem
Wet N Wild tasked us with the full-scale development of their Big Poppa Mascara campaign, requiring us to craft all necessary photo and video assets from scratch. This wasn't just about creating ads—it was about building a complete visual language for the product.
Photorealistic CGI Product Renderings
We began with cutting-edge CGI technology to create photorealistic product renderings that could be used across digital platforms. These renderings allowed us to showcase the product from impossible angles, create fantastical environments, and maintain perfect consistency across all marketing materials.
The CGI approach also provided unprecedented flexibility. We could iterate on creative concepts, test different visual treatments, and create variations for A/B testing—all without the time and expense of traditional product photography shoots.
Detailed Product Photography
While CGI provided flexibility, nothing replaces the authenticity of real product photography. We conducted extensive studio sessions to capture the mascara in exquisite detail—every curve of the brush, every texture of the formula, every reflection on the packaging.
These images became the foundation for e-commerce listings, retail partner materials, and social media content that required that tangible, "you can almost touch it" quality that drives purchase decisions.
Dynamic Model Photography
Beauty is about transformation, and our model photography needed to capture that magic. We cast a diverse range of models representing different ages, ethnicities, and personal styles to demonstrate the universal appeal of Big Poppa Mascara.
Each photoshoot was meticulously planned to capture before-and-after transformations, close-up lash details, and lifestyle moments that would resonate across different marketing channels. We shot over 500 final images, creating a robust content library that could support the campaign for months.
Captivating Hero Videos
The centerpiece of our production strategy was a series of hero videos designed for both online platforms and in-store retail displays. These weren't traditional commercials—they were visual experiences designed to stop scrollers mid-swipe.
We employed dynamic camera movements, bold color grading, and rhythmic editing that matched the energy of the TikTok platform. Each video was optimized for vertical viewing, with captions, graphics, and pacing designed specifically for mobile consumption.
The Launch Strategy: Engineering Virality
Custom Sound Collaboration with @JVKE
Sound is the soul of TikTok. Research from Kantar shows that 88% of TikTok users say sound is essential to the platform experience, and videos with trending sounds receive 17% more engagement on average.
We partnered with @JVKE, a TikTok creator and artist with a proven track record of creating viral sounds, to develop "Big Poppa Heart Stoppa"—a custom track specifically for the campaign. The song was catchy, meme-able, and perfectly encapsulated the bold, confident energy of the product.
But we didn't just create a sound—we created a cultural moment. The track was designed with specific beat drops that aligned with visual reveals in our videos, making it irresistible for creators to use in their own content.
Strategic Influencer Partnerships
We assembled a coalition of over 400 TikTok creators, each selected for their authentic connection with our target audience and their proven ability to drive engagement. This wasn't about follower count alone—we prioritized creators with high engagement rates and audiences that matched our demographic profile.
The crown jewel of our influencer strategy was partnering with Bella Poarch, one of TikTok's most influential creators with 83.7 million followers. Her participation wasn't just an endorsement—it was a cultural validation that signaled to her massive audience that Big Poppa Mascara was worth their attention.
Bella's video alone generated 95 million views and brought the #BiggerIsBetter Hashtag Challenge to the forefront of TikTok's trending page. But more importantly, it inspired thousands of her followers to create their own content, multiplying our reach exponentially.
Maximizing Platform Features
We deployed TikTok's full arsenal of advertising features to ensure maximum visibility:
- Branded Hashtag Challenge: The #BiggerIsBetter challenge invited users to share their boldest lash looks, generating massive user-generated content
- TopView Ads: Ensured our content was the first thing users saw when opening the app, reaching 55 million users with a 13.7% engagement rate
- One Day Max: Dominated the platform for 24 hours, achieving 80 million total views and reaching 45 million users
- In-Feed Ads: Seamlessly integrated our content into users' For You pages, maintaining visibility throughout the campaign
The #BiggerIsBetter Hashtag Challenge
At the heart of our campaign was the #BiggerIsBetter Hashtag Challenge—a call to action that tapped into TikTok's collaborative spirit. We didn't just ask users to watch our content; we invited them to become co-creators in the campaign.
The challenge was simple: show off your biggest, boldest lashes using Big Poppa Mascara and the custom "Big Poppa Heart Stoppa" sound. But the execution was sophisticated, with clear creative guidelines that ensured brand consistency while allowing for individual expression.
The results were staggering. Thousands of users created their own Big Poppa content, generating millions of organic impressions and creating a sense of community around the product. This user-generated content became some of our most valuable marketing assets, providing authentic social proof that money can't buy.
The Results: Breaking Records and Building Brand Equity
Campaign Performance Metrics
- 2.6 Billion Total Views: Surpassing even our most optimistic projections
- 1.5 Million Engaged Users: Active participants who commented, shared, or created content
- 18.6% Engagement Rate: Nearly 4x the industry average for beauty campaigns
- 80 Million One Day Max Views: Dominating the platform for 24 hours
- 55 Million TopView Reach: With an exceptional 13.7% engagement rate
Brand Impact
Beyond the vanity metrics, the campaign delivered measurable business results:
- +9.6% Brand Awareness: Significant lift in unaided brand recall
- +17.2% Higher Ad Recall: Users remembered our campaign over competitors
- Record Sales Performance: Big Poppa Mascara became Wet N Wild's fastest-selling mascara launch in company history
- Retail Partner Enthusiasm: Major retailers increased shelf space allocation based on campaign momentum
Key Learnings and Takeaways
1. Integrated Production Creates Consistency
By controlling the entire production process—from CGI renderings to influencer content—we maintained a consistent visual language that strengthened brand recognition across all touchpoints.
2. Sound is Strategy, Not an Afterthought
Investing in a custom sound collaboration wasn't just creative—it was strategic. The "Big Poppa Heart Stoppa" track became synonymous with the product, creating an audio brand asset that will continue to drive value.
3. Influencers Are Co-Creators, Not Just Distributors
Our most successful influencer partnerships were those where creators had creative freedom to interpret the campaign in their own voice. Authenticity always outperforms scripted content on TikTok.
4. User-Generated Content Multiplies Reach
The hashtag challenge didn't just generate views—it created thousands of brand advocates who had a personal investment in the campaign's success. This organic amplification was worth more than any paid media budget.
5. Platform-Native Content Wins
Our content succeeded because it felt native to TikTok, not like traditional advertising repurposed for social media. Understanding platform culture is as important as production quality.
The Future of Beauty Marketing
The Big Poppa Mascara campaign represents more than just a successful product launch—it's a blueprint for how beauty brands can thrive in the creator economy. The days of one-way brand communication are over. Today's consumers want to participate, create, and be part of the story.
As we look to the future, several trends are clear:
- Video content will continue to dominate beauty marketing, with short-form vertical video leading the way
- Authenticity and user-generated content will become even more valuable than polished brand content
- Sound and music will play an increasingly important role in brand identity
- Influencer partnerships will evolve into long-term creator collaborations
- Integrated production strategies will be essential for maintaining consistency across platforms
Conclusion: The Power of Strategic Video Production
The Wet N Wild Big Poppa Mascara campaign demonstrates what's possible when comprehensive video production meets innovative social media strategy. By controlling every aspect of the visual narrative—from photorealistic CGI to influencer content—we created a campaign that felt cohesive, authentic, and impossible to ignore.
But perhaps the most important lesson is this: viral success isn't accidental. It's the result of meticulous planning, deep platform understanding, creative risk-taking, and flawless execution. Every view, every engagement, every piece of user-generated content was the result of strategic decisions made months before the campaign launched.
As beauty brands navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape, the need for partners who understand both production excellence and platform strategy has never been greater. The Big Poppa Mascara campaign proved that when you get both right, the results can be truly transformative.