Behind the Stunt: What Rimmel x Red Bull’s Gymnastics Activation Teaches Beauty Marketers

Hook: Why Beauty Teams Should Stop Playing It Safe

You want more than talk—your customers want proof. In 2026, beauty shoppers are savvy, skeptical, and hungry for experiences that show a product does what it promises. Yet many brands still rely on product pages, influencer selfies, and glossy ads that don’t move the needle on consumer trust. The Rimmel x Red Bull stunt with gymnast Lily Smith exposes a different path: well-executed experiential activations can create immediate credibility, sustained social buzz, and lucrative cross-category partnerships—if you plan for authenticity, safety, and sustainability.

The Big Reveal — What Happened

In late 2025, Rimmel London partnered with Red Bull and five-time All-American gymnast Lily Smith to launch its new Thrill Seeker Mega Lift Mascara. Smith performed a 90‑second balance‑beam routine 52 stories above New York City on a rooftop overlooking Central Park, with an elevated beam to dramatize the product’s ultra‑volumising, mega‑lift claims. The stunt was covered in trade press and boosted social assets for a global campaign, turning a product claim into a visible, shareable spectacle. Cosmetics Business and other outlets reported on the event and highlighted how it tied Rimmel’s mascara positioning to athletic performance and daring imagery.

"Performing this routine in such a unique and unusual setting, ahead of my college season, was a total thrill for me," — Lily Smith (Rimmel x Red Bull activation coverage)

Why This Worked: Three Strategic Wins for Beauty Marketers

Let’s unpack why the stunt succeeded from a marketing perspective—and what it teaches brands in body care and cosmetics.

1. Product Credibility Through Demonstrative Experience

Claims like “mega lift” and “six times more visible lash volume” are technical and easy to dismiss. The stunt converted a functional benefit into a lived moment. Seeing an athlete perform under pressure—no retouch, no CGI—creates a perception of proof. For body‑care brands, that matters: customers want to see anti‑friction deodorants in motion, sweat‑resistant sunscreen in live sport, or fast‑absorbing lotions in a real‑life routine.

2. Cross‑Category Partnership Amplifies Reach

Pairing Rimmel with Red Bull was smart because it married two authentic worlds: beauty and extreme/athletic performance. That crossover did three things at once: it extended audience reach into active‑lifestyle consumers, lent credibility via Red Bull’s action‑sports ethos, and created unique content hooks for PR and social. Partnerships that feel native—where both brands’ values are visible—drive better media pickup and more authentic influencer endorsements. Consider an activating micro-events mindset when you scope partner mechanics to make sure the on-the-ground experience matches the claim.

3. Influencer as Co‑Creator, Not Just Talent

Lily Smith isn’t just a face—she’s a Red Bull athlete with athletic credibility. Making her a co‑star who shaped the routine gave the activation authenticity. In 2026, audiences reward creators who help design the story. Influencers who have creative input feel invested and produce more genuine long‑form content and behind‑the‑scenes material that converts at higher rates.

What This Means for Brand Transparency and Sustainability Storytelling

Experiential stunts are not just PR stunts; they’re moments to demonstrate brand values. To align with consumer priorities in 2026, every spectacle must include clear transparency and sustainability signals:

• Transparent impact reporting: Share a post‑event sustainability summary—carbon emissions, offsets used, local community impacts, and materials reused or recycled.
• Ingredient and safety tie‑ins: Use stunts to spotlight formulations or certifications that matter (e.g., reef‑safe SPF, cruelty‑free testing standards).
• Ethical talent partnerships: Show fair pay, clear usage rights, and athlete safety commitments in press materials to avoid backlash.

2026 Trends That Make Stunts More Powerful—and Risky

As you plan experiential activations this year, factor in these late‑2025/early‑2026 developments that shape opportunity and risk:

• Attention metrics over impressions: Brands now measure attention quality—view time, incremental brand recall—rather than raw reach. Stunts that produce watchable hero moments and short‑form clips show stronger ROI in attention‑based models.
• AI creative testing: Use generative tools and synthetic audiences to A/B test activation concepts quickly. But balance AI with human judgment—authenticity still wins. (See how AI affects creative flows.)
• Platform diversification: Short‑form video is still dominant, but live commerce, creator streaming, and decentralized creator platforms (creator DAOs and micro‑networks) are rising. Plan multi‑platform rollouts; our live stream strategy guide is a good primer.
• Regulatory scrutiny: Influencer disclosure rules and safety standards tightened across 2024–2025. Expect more documentation demands from platforms and regulators in 2026.
• Sustainability expectations: Consumers expect measurable action. Brilliant spectacle + poor sustainability reporting = PR headache. See practical guidance on sustainability and packaging.

Practical Playbook: How to Plan an Experiential Activation That Builds Trust

Below is a step‑by‑step checklist with actionable tactics tailored for body‑care and beauty brands. Treat this as an operational blueprint.

1. Define a Single Primary Objective

Decide whether the stunt’s primary goal is credibility (prove a product claim), reach (brand awareness), or conversion (direct sales uplift). Align KPIs accordingly: brand lift studies for credibility, impression and attention metrics for reach, and unique promo codes or shoppable links for conversion.

2. Choose an Authentic Partner

Pick partners whose cultural equity matches your claim. For a performance‑oriented product, athletes and active lifestyle brands are natural fits. Vet partner audiences for demographics, engagement, and brand safety.

3. Co‑Create with the Talent

Involve your influencer or athlete in creative briefs and risk assessments. Let them adapt the stunt to their authentic style; their buy‑in produces better content and post‑event storytelling. See the creator playbook for safer meetups to structure co‑creation and safety alignment.

4. Build a Measurement Framework

Use a layered approach:

1. Awareness: paid+earned reach, attention time, view completion.
2. Engagement: shares, saves, comments that show intent and sentiment.
3. Credibility: brand lift tests (consider a pre/post survey), sentiment analysis, third‑party endorsements.
4. Conversion: track clicks, promo redemptions, ecommerce uplift and LTV of new customers.

5. Plan Owned Assets and Evergreen Content

Extract at least 10 assets from the activation: hero film, 15–30s social edits, BTS, long‑form documentary, product demos, and UGC prompts. These stretch the event’s life across months and feed omnichannel campaigns. For architectures that repurpose clips across formats, review hybrid clip architectures.

6. Make Sustainability Non‑Negotiable

Publish a sustainability plan with measurable outcomes before the stunt and a post‑event report. Steps include local sourcing, low‑carbon transport, waste minimization, and credible carbon offsets. Transparency reduces criticism and increases media pickup in 2026.

7. Prepare a Crisis and Compliance Playbook

Have safety briefings, legal waivers, insurance, and a PR response matrix ready. Ensure full disclosure of the influencer relationship and any paid amplification—regulators and platforms demand clarity.

8. Activate Paid and Earned Amplification Together

Don’t rely on earned coverage alone. Combine targeted paid social with programmatic buys, creator seeding packages, and PR outreach. Use first‑party data segments to retarget high‑intent viewers with shoppable follow‑ups and microdocumentary content.

Measurement Examples and Benchmarks (2026)

Benchmarks have shifted to emphasize attention and quality engagement. Use these directional targets when evaluating success:

• Hero video completion rate: Aim for 60–75% completion on short hero reels across high‑engagement platforms.
• Attention minutes per viewer: Look for 10–30s of sustained attention for short clips and 2–5 minutes for long‑form content.
• Brand lift: A well‑executed credibility stunt can deliver 4–12 point lifts in aided awareness and 3–8 point lifts in consideration in immediate post‑campaign surveys.
• Earned media value: Estimate using CPM equivalents but prioritize sentiment and the proportion of industry trade pickups versus general entertainment coverage.

Applying the Rimmel x Red Bull Lessons to Body‑Care

How can body‑care brands translate the psychology behind the Rimmel stunt into their own category? Here are tailored approaches:

• Performance demonstrations: For sweat‑resistant deodorants or long‑wear body makeup, partner with athletes, dancers, or outdoor creators and capture product performance under real stress.
• Wellness integrations: Pair with fitness or recovery brands (e.g., cryotherapy, physiotherapy clinics) to show complementary benefits and build cross‑selling opportunities.
• Ingredient transparency showcases: Host live lab demos with formulators explaining key actives and sourcing—pair with lab‑to‑skin experiences where attendees sample textures and see test results.
• Local, community‑first activations: Instead of carbon‑heavy spectacles, deliver neighborhood pop‑ups that reuse set pieces, support local athletes, and generate authentic UGC. Check our guide on micro-event retail for community-first approaches.

Common Pitfalls—and How to Avoid Them

Stunts can backfire. Learn from common missteps:

• Poor partner fit: A mismatch between partner image and brand promise undermines credibility. Do audience overlap analysis first.
• No measurement plan: If you can’t quantify impact, stakeholders will call it an expensive ad. Define KPIs and tracking before you brief the agency.
• Greenwashing risks: Superficial sustainability claims invite scrutiny. Publish data, not slogans. See practical tips on sustainability and packaging.
• Overproduction without authenticity: Highly produced CGI can shrink trust. Where possible, show unpolished moments and behind‑the‑scenes prep.

Case Study Snapshot: Rimmel x Red Bull (What We Can Learn)

From available coverage (Cosmetics Business and trade reporting), the activation achieved three things beauty marketers should note:

1. It turned a product claim into a spectacle that media and creators could easily share.
2. It used an authentic athletic talent to anchor credibility and access Red Bull’s media channels and audience.
3. It created multiple content moments (hero stunt, BTS, athlete reflections) that stretched campaign life.

Execution Checklist: 12‑Point Stunt Planning Template

1. Objective: Primary KPI (credibility / reach / conversion)
2. Audience: Target demo & psychographics
3. Partner fit: Cultural and audience alignment
4. Talent role: Co‑creator and media obligations
5. Creative brief: Single compelling visual narrative
6. Safety & legal: Insurance, waivers, compliance
7. Sustainability plan: Measurable outcomes and report
8. Assets plan: 10+ content outputs for 6–12 months
9. Amplification: Paid, earned, owned mix and timing
10. Measurement: Baseline survey + post event brand lift
11. Budgeting: Hard and soft costs plus contingency
12. Crisis plan: Rapid response and stakeholder comms

Final Thoughts: The Future of Stunt Marketing in Beauty

In 2026, consumers demand both spectacle and substance. The Rimmel x Red Bull x Lily Smith stunt shows how thoughtfully executed activations can move customers from doubt to trust by aligning spectacle with product proof, authentic talent, and transparent storytelling. But in a more regulated, sustainability‑minded market, stunts must be measurable, ethical, and aligned with longer‑term brand narratives—especially in body‑care where safety and ingredient transparency are paramount.

Actionable Takeaways (Quick Wins for Your Team)

• Run a 30‑day pilot: pick a product claim and design a mini‑activation with a local athlete or creator to test creative and measurement workflows.
• Document sustainability up front: publish a short pre‑stunt sustainability brief to frame expectations and build trust with press and customers.
• Build a content matrix: plan 10 shareable assets from day one so your activation pays off for months. Review hybrid clip architectures to maximize repurposing.
• Use attention metrics: measure attention minutes and completion rates, not just impressions. See attention-focused measurement benchmarks.
• Negotiate usage rights: get multi‑channel asset rights from talent to avoid repurchase later.

Call to Action

If you’re planning an activation in 2026, don’t leave credibility to chance. Start with a one‑page creative brief using the 12‑point checklist above and run a low‑risk pilot within 60 days. Need a hands‑on template or a brand audit to map stunt ideas to sustainability reporting and KPI frameworks? Contact our strategy team for a tailored workshop that turns spectacle into measurable trust—and sales.

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