Elf and Tubi use live streams and AI to accelerate product development
Elf Beauty and Tubi are leveraging direct consumer engagement to shorten development timelines and personalize content. Both companies argue that removing distance between leadership and consumers drives faster innovation and deeper loyalty.
Elf Beauty and Tubi are utilizing direct consumer engagement strategies to accelerate product development and content creation. Elf CEO Tarang Amin participated in TikTok Live sessions, where 15,000 users demanded specific 'bronzing drops,' leading the company to fast-track the product from a 12-18 month timeline to six months. Elf CFO Mandy Fields hosted a Twitch live stream on financial literacy, attracting 110,000 viewers, which reflected consumer demand for career and financial advice beyond beauty products. Amin stated that the first time the CEO brought a TikTok Live, 15,000 people showed up, highlighting the intensity of direct engagement.
Tubi leverages TikTok to identify talent, such as influencer Noah Beck, who starred in and produced the original franchise 'Sideline' with 20 million views. The franchise required no traditional marketing as fans shared clips. Tubi also uses AI and machine learning to personalize experiences and reduce the 15-minute average search time for content, aiming to solve the 'paradox of choice' by helping every story find its audience. Both executives argue that removing the 'ivory tower' distance between leadership and consumers allows for faster innovation and deeper brand loyalty. Elf prioritizes human-centered AI, while Tubi focuses on democratizing storytelling distribution.