How do you make a beauty brand relevant to an audience that scrolls past beauty advertising?
You stop making beauty advertising.
e.l.f. wanted to grow awareness amongst UK Gen Z audiences. But reaching them wasn’t the challenge. Holding their attention was. So Wavemaker brokered the first-ever commercial partnership for Channel 4.0, Channel 4’s digital-first YouTube platform and I helped define the strategic and creative framework for the partnership, shaping both the role of the brand and the format of the show.
The opportunity wasn’t to place products into content It was to create content that embodied the brand.
Working alongside Channel 4, 4Studio and e.l.f., we developed Ready or Not?!, a new original series hosted by creator Adeola Patronne. Built around a simple but powerful insight, the show explored the rituals of getting ready—not for a night out, but for whatever life throws at you.
From stunt training to football matches and unexpected physical challenges, guests prepared themselves using e.l.f. products before stepping into situations far outside their comfort zones.
The makeup wasn’t the story, confidence was.
The content was only part of the idea.
Alongside the series, we helped pioneer Channel 4.0’s first fully integrated social commerce experience. Shoppable links were embedded directly into episodes, allowing viewers to purchase products as they appeared on screen, while bespoke content extended the experience across TikTok and Instagram. Rather than treating commerce as a separate conversion layer, it became a seamless part of the entertainment. The result was Channel 4.0’s first ecommerce campaign and a blueprint for how brands could move audiences from watching, to engaging, to purchasing within a single connected ecosystem.
My role was helping define the creative territory, ensuring every touchpoint—from the show format to the commerce experience—reflected e.l.f.’s core brand principles of self-expression, accessibility and empowerment. Rather than interrupting culture, the brand became part of it.
The project went on to become a series of firsts: The first branded partnership on Channel 4.0 ; The first original series commissioned for a commercial partner ; The first fully integrated social commerce activation across the platform.
Most importantly, it established a role for e.l.f. that felt authentic to both the audience and the channel, not just as a sponsor. It helped 4.0 establish itself as one of the UK’s most successful youth-focused content platforms. Built specifically for social audiences, the channel started attracting millions of views each month through creator-led entertainment designed for YouTube rather than traditional broadcast. Its growth demonstrated a shift in how younger audiences were discovering content, spending time with creators and engaging with brands.
It was the reason the show existed in the first place.
Agency: Wavemaker
Partner: Channel 4
Executive Creative Director: Ann Wixley
Creative Lead: Kurt Strong