Il-Makiage wasn't necessarily trying to be controversial for its U.S. relaunch, but several taglines in a new campaign were deemed too "provocative" for NYC's Metropolitan Transit Authority to be
advertised in the city's subway system.
Rejected messages included “If you see something say it to someone else,” “Don’t even think about manspreading,” and
“It’s not the heatwave down there, it’s me."
These messages — developed with agency Huge — were designed to speak directly to confident, successful women who
are equal parts swagger and substance, with the overarching concept aimed at redefining high maintenance. "After all, there’s nothing 'high maintenance' about being strong, successful, having
high standards, knowing your self worth and demanding to be treated accordingly," says an agency spokesperson.
In addition to social media support, NYC billboards feature four models ranging in
ethnic diversity conveying a “don’t give a f*ck” attitude with similarly-toned headlines. These ads followed an earlier teaser phase, where plain black billboards with bold white
headlines claiming “Minimalism is dead” took over NYC, driving onlookers to @IlMakiage, its U.S. market Instagram handle.
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NYC is the first U.S. city to receive ad support as
part of the brand's first pop-up store. Additional U.S. outlets are likely to open soon, and Il Makiage ships its products throughout the U.S.