The naming department at essie

How does a nail polish get it’s name?

Essie fans are notoriously passionate. Loyal consumers are excited to identify ‘bikini so teeny’ or spot the difference between cult classics ‘wicked’ and 'berry naughty' from across a room. However, even true essie experts have been stumped on one of the industry’s biggest mysteries for decades. Who names a nail polish, and how do they do it?

In 2017, essie spilled the tea and brought to life the mythical office of the Naming Department through a the brand’s first episodic comedy serial. 

Designed to disrupt a sea of tutorials and product reviews that dominate Beauty YouTube, the series helped establish a playful and polished personality for the brand and successfully boosted overall brand love.

This project was the winner of a competition held amongst brands within the L'Oreal portfolio through Google’s creator lab, and was included on the shortlist in the 2017 Clio Awards in the Fashion & Beauty category. Most importantly. our clients and fans loved it so much that the essie team secured budget for two additional episodes after the competition was over.

CLIO AWARDS SHORTLIST