PORTFOLIO COMPANY NEWS
Laura Geller New York Enters Reality TV
CEW.org - February 29, 2016
Laura Geller New York is going primetime. After over 20 years in the beauty industry, the brand has teamed up with Lifetime's Project Runway: All Stars as the exclusive makeup sponsor of season 5 of the hit show.
Thirteen of the show's most memorable designers have returned to compete against one another with fashion designs made complete with a Laura Geller New York makeup look created by makeup artist Scott Patric. Scott consults with brand founder, Laura Geller, on a weekly basis to ensure her vision is conveyed on-screen.
"I'm a huge fan of the show and could not be more excited about the partnership," said Laura. "I love the passion, drama and level of talent that the show has to offer. As the official makeup sponsor, I am thrilled that we will be able to help these amazing designers bring their stunning runway looks to life."
The partnership is a natural fit, as the show celebrates the struggles and triumphs of up-and-coming designer talent, which is synergistic with the entrepreneurial journey of Laura Geller New York. Founded in 1997, the company began with one retail location and has since attained distribution with QVC, Ulta and Nordstrom. It received a substantial investment from Connecticut-based Tengram Capital Partners in 2012. As a New York-based brand, the show offers the opportunity to reach a wide-range of new consumers throughout the country.
"Project Runway All-Stars is a brand that resonates with a huge and passionate female audience across demographics," said Elana Drell Szyfer, CEO, Laura Geller New York. "We think about the Laura Geller brand in the same way and therefore thought that the wide reach of the highly engaged audience would be a perfect environment to introduce the brand to new customers and get the brand exposure with existing customers."
Project Runway content will be featured across Laura Geller New York's social media platforms throughout the season, and key retail partners, QVC and Ulta, will be offering special promotions on each week's winning look and products via email, social media, and on their .com sites. Additionally, QVC will be running lead-ins and follow-up tags before and after each of Laura's shows.
There are additional plans to increase brand awareness through a collaboration with Marie Claire. Editorial content featuring Laura Geller New York will kick off with the March issue, which will also feature the brand's first print ad. Content will also be included in the April and May issues, and social media and email promotions will be pulsed throughout the season 5 run.
"Through our partnership with Marie Claire we hope to reach a new audience and provide our existing consumer with access to cosmetic products that allow her to easily re-create the looks she sees on the show taking them from 'runway' to 'real-way' – all while doing so in the comfort of her own home," said Elana.
According to insiders, it is very likely that Laura will make a guest appearance in the season finale of Project Runway All-Stars, airing May 13th.
Season 5 premiered Thursday, February 11, and airs weekly for 13 weeks at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime.