To say cowboy core was one of 2024’s defining aesthetics would be an understatement; cultural moments like Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album fueled a trend for all things Western, with many fashion brands following suit by sending denim and Americana looks down the runway. Benefit Cosmetics, the LVMH-owned beauty brand, wanted a piece of the craze.
“We really thought about the consumer through and through. And then, at the same time, there was a big cultural zeitgeist moment,” said Vivianna Blanch, svp of U.S. marketing and international liaison for Benefit Cosmetics. “‘Cowboy Carter’ had just been released, and there were so many music festivals in this Western theme. So all the stars were aligning.”
To excite customers around Benefit’s core products and capture the zeitgeist, the cosmetics line recruited retailer Ulta Beauty to stage a giveaway of a classic American car: a pink Ford Bronco. To enter to win the Bronco, consumers were asked to spend $65 on Benefit products at Ulta, where they would receive Benefit’s Wild West bandana bag containing a scratch-off ticket to participate in the Bronco giveaway. The campaign’s success and creativity won it the Best Brand Activation at the 2025 Glossy Pop Awards.
Benefit kicked off the campaign in June 2024 with an event at Saddle Ranch Chop House in Los Angeles, inviting influencers and press to test products and lean into the cowboy theme. But the campaign was largely focused on consumers. While influencers and editors have long since received countless beauty samples and freebies, many brands like Benefit are seeing the value in extending perks including trips and giveaways to consumers.
“Obviously, influencers are so important. … But really, we couldn’t be here without our community,” said Blanch. “There’s probably going to be another submission to next year’s Glossy Awards that’s really similar, because we just completed something that was very similar, in terms of giving back to the consumers with a big trip.”
Extending those benefits to customers can also help fuel customer acquisition. According to Benefit, more than 12,000 customers redeemed their scratch-off cards online after purchase, and the redeemers had a 100% follow-through rate of opting in to email and SMS notifications. Benefit said the content around the campaign drew more than 27 million views across its social platforms.
While only one person would win the Bronco prize, all scratch cards came with a prize such as a service at Benefit’s brow salon or a free product.
“The idea of everyone winning is something that is really special and feasible. And I think sometimes people won’t enter, or people won’t take that next step, if they think it’s impossible,” said Blanch.
That strategy of spreading the winnings around can make such activations a winner for both consumers looking to get extra bang for their buck on their purchases and brands looking for creative ways to capture consumer engagement and data. “Everyone was a winner,” said Blanch.
