This week, the world was introduced to Caitlyn Jenner, whose stunning Vanity Fair cover turned the internet upside down.
In between receiving support and sparking controversial think pieces, Jenner is now being scouted by cosmetic brands. The New York Post’s Page Six reports that MAC may recruit Jenner for a campaign and has already had several meetings with her. Sources tell Page Six, “They’ve been debating the pros and cons and whether it would be a good fit or not. There’s a camp that’s so excited and another that’s a bit more cautious.”
MAC’s parent company Estée Lauder and its group president John Demsey appear to be excited at the prospective chance of having Jenner as the face of one of Lauder’s brands. While on the CDFA Awards’ red carpet Monday evening, Demsey said, “There’s never been someone with that level of celebrity who’s ever done something so bold and so visible in public, and it’s done very elegantly and glamorously.” Demsey also called Jenner’s Vanity Fair cover, “simply amazing, iconic, epic, disruptive, bold, glamorous.”
Although some may be surprised that a cosmetic brand is courting a transgender celebrity, branding psychologist Robert Passikoff told to AdWeek: “There are plenty of companies that would welcome her. It’s not as much of a stretch as you might think. With the whole LGBT universe out there, you could be talking $1 billion worth of buying power. So, whether you’re personally invested in this [issue] or not, if you’re talking marketing, there’s a big market out there.”
Hayes Roth, the founder and principal of brand development firm HA Roth Consulting agreed, continuing on the notion, “Jenner is absolutely marketable, and any brand could instantly pick up a million followers. But it would have to be a brand that wants to make a statement about openness, fairness and transparency.”
As the well-deserved excitement for Caitlyn Jenner continues, seeing her endorse certain hair or cosmetics brands would further promote inclusivity and visibility to the trans-community. However, will this prospective move help open the door for well-known transgender activists and actresses such as Janet Mock or Laverne Cox to become brand ambassadors as well?
