Nail brands cashing in on the Hollywood phenomenon
Shona Owen finds out why polishes are the perfect promotional tool for films at the latest Disney blockbuster Cinderella:
With an opening weekend debut of $70.1million in the US, Cinderella is set to hit the UK cinemas this weekend. As a very lucky intern, I was invited by the Professional Beauty team to an early private screening of Cinderella last month.
As official nail sponsors of the live action Disney film, the US lacquer brands, Morgan Taylor and Red Carpet Manicure, have both launched limited edition collections of six whimsical blue and pink sparkly shades inspired by the fairy tale to tie in with the film's release. As a promotional campaign directed towards the 100 members of press at the event, I saw Cinderella at the Soho Hotel in a comfy red leather seat supplied with wine and popcorn.
What really stood out was the beauty and imagination of the colours used in the film: they were light, uplifting and directed the plot visually.
Morgan Haile and Taylor Daniel, the brand’s namesakes, commented, “We were thrilled to be part of this amazing project. For this collection, we wanted to create an array of colours that highlight iconic moments and characters from this beloved fairytale story, Cinderella. From the fanciful glitters to striking bright pink, each shade is soaring with personality to fall in line with the movie.”
The 2015 collection from Morgan Taylor includes an iridescent teal Party at the Palace, hot pink crème Watch Your Step, Sister, and periwinkle blue Best Ball Gown Ever. The fantastical inspired collection is the first movie collaboration that Morgan Taylor has ventured into.
A spokesperson for the US team at Morgan Taylor, explained, “We wanted to make sure our first collection was special. Cinderella was the perfect fairy tale story with an unbelievably vibrant colour palette that made this a must-do.”
Though the first partnership for Morgan Taylor, product tie-ins are not new. OPI has also done well with recent collaborations with popular films including The Muppets Most Wanted in 2014 and Fifty Shades of Grey earlier this year.
Writing for the NYTimes, journalist, Monica Corcoran Harel, said, “It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me buy lip-gloss. Such is the hope of Hollywood cross-promoters these days as movie tie-ins go beyond lunch boxes and action figures and move into beauty products like perfumes, hair gel, curling irons and lipsticks.”
As movies are now setting the cultural agenda, they provide a reference point for future trends and fashions. With movies that just scream for a line of nail polishes, expect to see other collaborations with nail brands cashing in on the Hollywood phenomenon.
