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Cardi B is shocked—shocked!—that men have co-opted a NYX product and used it in a way that was never intended.
Is she, though?
After all, the rap star might have anticipated some shenanigans from the dudes of the world, given the suggestively over-the-top ad in which she stars for a lip gloss named Duck Plump.
The beauty brand, part of the L’Oreal empire, is trotting out the ridiculous, but not entirely far fetched, scenario of men using Duck Plump to enhance their private parts. The running gag anchors NYX’s first broadcast commercial and first appearance in the Super Bowl, also marking Cardi B’s first beauty alliance.
The spot, called “Lips Only” from McCann New York, will air nationally on TelevisaUnivision. It’s also getting a regional media buy in the country’s top 10 markets during the third quarter of Sunday’s matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.
McCann creatives, aiming to further the fempowerment theme around this year’s Big Game, described the campaign as a rare combo of “a product-centric idea, an already-engaged fan base, Cardi B (a fan of NYX) and a bold, smart and confident brand who understands their community.”
Plus it’s a good way to crash a testosterone-heavy day and announce a new Cherry Spice shade, according to Shayne Millington, the agency’s chief creative officer.
“We felt the Super Bowl was the perfect place to flip the script on what has been a historically male dominated event where women are often the butt of the joke,” Millington told Adweek. “We took this opportunity to womansplain—showing women in powerful positions lightheartedly explaining the misuse of a product.”
The 60-second ad is split into two parts, the first being a super sexy promo that emphasizes the product’s ability to deliver “bigger” and “plumper” results. Cardi B prances and purrs, joined by some duck-billed backup dancers and giant phallic-shaped props.
The second half deals with the aftermath of men mistaking the lip gloss for a penis enlarging serum. Hilarity ensues as female firefighters, pharmacists and reporters deal with the medical emergencies and general chaos. So. Much. Eye. Rolling.
NYX is one of several beauty brands taking part in the Big Game proper and its regional telecasts, along with CeraVe, e.l.f., Dove and Cetaphil, as female viewership is expected to hit a new high.
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Duck Plump has become a viral hit since its premiere last fall, even though customer reviews routinely mention a burning, tingling sensation that can last for nearly an hour after applying the product.
Fans of the brand had already pointed out that the name Duck Plump was ripe for comedy, so creatives took the concept to an outlandish level, giving Cardi B the last word in the spot: “They put it where? Why?”
But she knows why.
T.L. Stanley is a senior editor at Adweek, where she specializes in consumer trends, cannabis marketing, plant-based food products, pop culture and creativity.
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