Beauty news: Elizabeth Arden signs Reese Witherspoon as Storyteller-in-Chief

Elizabeth Arden announced today that it has signed entrepreneur and critically acclaimed, Academy Award winning actress Reese Witherspoon as the brand’s Storyteller-in-Chief. That’s right – not a “face” or a spokesperson, but a storyteller. It is a fresh new role that the Oscar winner, actor, producer and general all round stellar female role model is more than qualified for. The actor is currently on screen delivering what has been called a career-best performance in Big Little Lies, and I for one am lapping it up. As Madeline Martha Mackenzie, Witherspoon’s character has become a viewer favourite for her wicked one liners, and the fact that she herself bought Liane Moriarty’s brilliant novel to the screen just adds an extra level of well-earned respect.

But back to Witherspoon’s multi-faceted new role for Arden, through which she will help to shape the brand’s narrative, through its advertising campaigns and marketing programs, with a strong focus on digital strategy and engagement.  

Her first task was to research visionary women throughout history, and Reese learned of the life and achievements of Elizabeth Arden’s eponymous founder, who revolutionised the beauty industry at the turn of the 20th century as a self-made entrepreneur. Founding her company in New York in 1910, before women could even vote, Arden has a legacy of breaking boundaries.  Reese, an entrepreneur in her own right as founder of Hello Sunshine, her content production company, and the Southern lifestyle and fashion brand, Draper James, was inspired to forge a partnership with such a like-minded company. 

 “We are thrilled to be working with Reese.  In addition to her accomplishments as an actress, she is a successful entrepreneur—heading her own production, fashion and digital companies,” said JuE Wong, President, Elizabeth Arden Brand.  “Reese exemplifies the ideals of our founder and continues to break boundaries every day.  Like Elizabeth Arden before her, Reese does not accept the standard, she sets it, making her the perfect person to represent the brand and engage with our consumers globally.”

 “One of the first things that drew me to the brand was its rich heritage and history of supporting women,” shared Reese Witherspoon.  “As one of the first female entrepreneurs, Elizabeth Arden paved the way for women like me.  It’s an honour to carry on her legacy and be part of such an iconic company that is committed to serving women.”  Reese added, “I’m excited to work as a creative partner alongside the Elizabeth Arden team, producing content that celebrates the spirit of the brand, highlighting female-centric stories that illustrate women’s true life experiences which unite us all.”

“Reese is truly ahead of the curve when it comes to understanding the lifestyle of her consumer,” continued Wong.  “Her authenticity, which resonates worldwide, combined with her business acumen, digital prowess and social media footprint, provide a unique opportunity to further develop the ‘Liz Arden’ persona, connect with women, and inspire them to ‘go out and mark their mark.’”

Together, Reese and the brand will leverage their respective platforms to share untold stories behind both women’s boundary-breaking careers, and hope to encourage a new generation to continue to open doors for those who come behind them.  Reese will also appear in multimedia campaigns across all media types, including digital, in-store and social media. Her first beauty visual is above, with her campaign continuing to rollout globally throughout 2017. I cannot wait!