This case study contrasts two beauty collaborations with very different strategies and outcomes.

Rare Beauty x Tajín tapped into cultural rituals and nostalgia, creating an authentic product with sales and long-lasting cultural impact. Fenty Beauty x MSCHF, on the other hand, leaned on shock value — a ketchup-inspired gloss that generated buzz but left room for more.

What inspired us here was that gap. Not that Fenty ‘failed,’ but that the collaboration could have been pushed further to connect with culture, drive real sales, and create lasting impact. That’s where the ‘what-if’ comes in.

We imagined what this campaign could have looked like if it had been designed for both cultural relevance and commercial success — and reinterpreted it through our creative direction and imagery.