Clinique x RIOT

The Riot X Clinique Story: Innovative Beauty Advertising

Here at RIOT, we pride ourselves on being a creative agency that consistently breaks the mold. Known for our bold approach, we've carved out a niche in the world of advertising and brand storytelling. Our journey is marked by a relentless pursuit of creativity, deeply intertwined with the rich cultural tapestry that defines NYC.

In our diverse range of creations, it's our work within the beauty and fashion sectors that showcases our unique flair. Our approach transcends traditional advertising, focusing on crafting narratives that resonate with audiences worldwide. This dedication to impactful, visually striking content positions us as not just a creative agency, but as storytellers at the forefront of the NYC creative scene, sought after by brands eager to make a genuine impact.

Clinique: Revolutionizing Skincare

At RIOT, where creativity and innovation are the lifeblood of our work, beauty brands like Clinique stand as a beacon of inspiration in the industry. Clinique’s brand history is not just about skin care; it's a narrative of groundbreaking creativity and a relentless pursuit of excellence, traits that resonate deeply with our ethos.

Clinique emerged in the beauty scene in 1968, a revolutionary time in both culture and cosmetics. Born from a collaboration between a visionary Vogue editor, Carol Phillips, and renowned dermatologist Dr. Norman Orentreich, Clinique was the first-ever dermatologist-developed, allergy-tested, 100% fragrance-free cosmetics brand. This marked a new era in skincare, focusing on safety and personalization – principles that were radical at the time.

The beauty brand’s pioneering 3-Step Skin Care System introduced in the 1970s revolutionized the industry. This simple yet effective regimen of cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing was not just a product line; it was a philosophy that made skincare accessible and personal. Clinique understood that beauty is not a one-size-fits-all concept, a realization that is central to RIOT’s approach to creating tailored, impactful campaigns.



Over the years, Clinique has remained at the forefront of innovation for their beauty products, consistently introducing products that address a wide range of skin concerns, from their Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion to the Chubby Stick lip color balm. Each product release is a testament to their commitment to research, quality, and understanding customer needs – values that we, at RIOT, hold in high regard.

Working with a brand like Clinique means partnering with a history of firsts, a legacy of breaking norms, and a future of endless possibilities. Their approach to beauty is akin to art – each product is a masterpiece of scientific innovation and creative expression. It’s this blend of art and science, heritage and innovation that makes our partnership with Clinique an incredibly exciting and inspiring one.

Clinique’s journey is a beacon for all of us in the creative industry, reminding us that with a commitment to innovation, understanding of diverse needs, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence, we can redefine industries. Clinique’s story showcases the power of creativity to transform, inspire, and lead – a narrative that RIOT is proud to be a part of and share with the world.

The Creative Heartbeat of RIOT x Clinique

At RIOT, our collaboration with Clinique is a testament to the fusion of innovative minds and visionary creativity. We've found an unparalleled synergy with Clinique, a brand synonymous with innovation. This partnership, grounded in a shared vision, has been instrumental in both maintaining Clinique's brand identity and forging profound connections with diverse audiences.

Groundbreaking Campaigns and Creative Evolution

Our journey with Clinique has been marked by a series of groundbreaking campaigns, each showcasing our evolution in creative strategy and storytelling. The Brand Sizzle, a historical journey through Clinique's legacy, was our initial foray into encapsulating the beauty brand's ethos. This project not only highlighted Clinique's rich history but also demonstrated RIOT's ability to weave a compelling narrative that resonates across generations.

Innovative Sizzle Reels

Building on this momentum, the Innovation Sizzle Reel and the Love Sizzle Reel further exemplify our creative prowess. The Innovation Sizzle Reel, with its dynamic blend of provided footage, original compositions, motion graphics, and unique textures, transformed a brief concept into a visually engaging experience. It’s a vivid portrayal of Clinique's dedication to innovation, invigorating both employees and customers.

The Love Sizzle Reel, crafted in the wake of Clinique's viral Black Honey lipstick moment, reflected our agility in leveraging social media trends. By integrating Clinique imagery with RIOT's unique compositions, motion graphics and kinetic text, along with hand-drawn animations and a catchy soundtrack, this campaign played beautifully with the theme of brand affection, appealing strongly to the Gen Z demographic.

Tailored Social Media Content

Our work didn't stop at digital reels. The Moisture Surge campaign, where we infused pre-existing footage with the unique RIOT vibe, created a series of impactful films for social media platforms. This campaign exemplified our expertise in tailoring content for different platforms, from 30-second films to bite-sized 6-second clips, ensuring maximum engagement across Clinique's digital presence.

Similarly, the Beyond Perfecting Concealer campaign showcased our flair for editing and music supervision, while the Fresh Pressed campaign highlighted our ability to reimagine existing footage with a fresh and engaging twist.

Clinique Cyber Week Social Campaign

One of our most notable achievements has been the Clinique Cyber Week Social Campaign. Capitalizing on the Black Friday frenzy, we created 16 animations that captivated audiences with enticing deals to showcase on Clinique's social channels. This campaign was not just about promoting sales but about creating an interactive and engaging narrative that resonated with the contemporary consumer.

Clinique Creative Agency Campaigns: A Story of Success

Our collaboration with Clinique has led to a series of highly impactful campaigns. Each project, infused with RIOT's creative energy, has significantly enhanced Clinique's brand presence and customer engagement.

Clinique Brand Sizzle & Cyber Week Campaigns: These campaigns showcased the brand’s history and offered enticing deals, resulting in millions of impressions across Clinique’s social channels, including 500,000 impressions on the US Instagram account alone.

Fresh Pressed & Beyond Perfecting Concealer Campaigns: Our innovative approach in editing and promoting these products led to over 500,000 views worldwide, reinforcing Clinique’s global appeal and our ability to create engaging content.

Moisture Surge Campaign: This campaign, with its unique RIOT vibe, achieved 1.5 million views across various platforms, highlighting the effectiveness of our tailored social media strategy and creations.

Love & Innovation Sizzle Reels: These reels, focusing on brand love and innovation, played a crucial role in enhancing brand engagement, particularly among Gen Z consumers, through platforms like TikTok.

RIOT's Expertise in the Beauty Industry

At RIOT, our collaborations with esteemed brands like Clinique illustrate our profound understanding and experience in the beauty industry. Our successful partnership with Clinique, one of the most recognized brands in beauty, revolved around creating brand sizzles and social campaigns that significantly boosted their digital presence and consumer engagement. This work showcases our expertise in creating content that resonates with a beauty-conscious audience.

Similarly, our collaboration with Nutrafol has also emphasized the importance of adaptability and customization, catering to the unique needs of individuals at different life stages, which is a trend we closely follow and implement in our campaign strategies. We have ensured that our campaigns for Nutrafol and Clinique not only showcase the products but also educate and advocate for sustainable beauty practices, aligning with the growing consumer awareness of environmental impacts​​​​​​​.

RIOT stays ahead in creative campaign execution by focusing on emerging trends in the beauty industry, such as the shift toward personalized and sustainable beauty solutions. Our campaigns are crafted to not only highlight the unique selling points of the products but also to resonate with the evolving preferences and values of modern consumers. This approach has enabled us to create impactful campaigns that drive both beauty brand recognition and consumer engagement for a product launch and beyond.

RIOT's Evolving Role in Advertising

Each campaign with beauty brands like Clinique along with all our friends are stepping stones in our journey, showcasing RIOT's ability to evolve and adapt to the changing dynamics of advertising. Our partnership is a perfect illustration of how creativity, aligned with a brand's ethos and innovative storytelling, can craft campaigns that are not only memorable but also have a significant impact. It highlights our commitment as a leading creative agency and production studio in NYC to not just uphold but also amplify a brand's narrative, merging creativity with effective storytelling in a way that resonates on a global scale.