Pat McGrath’s first makeup launch needed to feel less like a product release and more like a cultural happening. In the beauty world, especially at the luxury level, drops are driven by scarcity, obsession, and the sense of being initiated into an insider community. Our task was to create a campaign that built mystery, drove anticipation, and positioned Gold_001 not just as a pigment, but as a cult object.

Enter SMEARGOLD: a hype-driven concept centered on secrecy, countdowns, and gold as a symbol of power and transformation. The launch ecosystem spanned a countdown microsite, wild postings, social teasers, and influencer seeding, all designed to blur the line between editorial and ecommerce. Every touchpoint was designed to spark desire: I need to get my hands on this.