In “e.l.f. We Trust” – How a Budget Beauty Brand Made a Fortune at the Super Bowl

In the arena of the Super Bowl—where brands wage multimillion-dollar battles for thirty seconds of fame—e.l.f. Cosmetics pulled off something remarkable. With a courtroom, a budget product, and a bold statement against overpriced beauty, they didn’t just advertise. They cross-examined the industry.

While legacy brands played it safe, e.l.f. made a mock trial of the old order, with humor as the judge and price as the verdict. And somehow, in the noise of beer, trucks, and crypto, a $14 glow product held its own.

Set in a courtroom, the commercial, titled “In e.l.f. We Trust”—stars none other than Judge Judy Sheindlin in her Super Bowl ad debut. She presides over a satirical trial where traditional beauty brands are put on blast for overpricing. The defendant? Someone caught paying too much for a glow product that e.l.f. offers for $14.

The ad features a reunion of stars from Suits (Gina Torres, Rick Hoffman, Sarah Rafferty), alongside Meghan Trainor, Ronald Gladden (Jury Duty), and Benito Skinner. The format is punchy, theatrical, and unmistakably clear: Why pay $40 when $14 gets you the same glow?

It’s courtroom drama turned cultural commentary—delivered in 30 seconds.

There’s a deeper brilliance here. e.l.f. Didn’t just sell a product; they sold a belief. They positioned themselves not just as affordable, but as the smart choice. In doing so, they turned price, a usually defensive point, into a confident rallying cry.

Some key takeaways:

• Use Humor with Purpose: The courtroom parody wasn’t just funny. It was pointed out. Every laugh landed with strategic weight.
  
  
• Product Is the Hero: The Halo Glow Liquid Filter wasn't a background mention—it was the plot.
  
  
• Celebrity Casting Matters: Judge Judy brings authority. The Suits cast brings relevance. Meghan Trainor brings Gen Z. It’s not stunt casting. It’s a calculated composite of trust, nostalgia, and virality.
  
  
• Cultural Timing Wins: As inflation and economic anxiety dominate conversations, a $14 alternative feels less like a product and more like a protest.
  
  

“In e.l.f. We Trust” is more than a catchy line. It’s a brand positioning statement disguised as courtroom satire. e.l.f. Did what most brands fear: they named the enemy—price gouging—and dared to challenge it on the industry’s biggest stage.

More than a beauty ad — it was a bold statement in branding in how challenger brands can punch far above their weight by being bold, strategic, and unapologetically clear on what they stand for.

And in this case, the jury wasn’t out long.