YSL × Tencent NBA: Lipstick for the Male Gaze

In 2021, YSL Beauty broke new ground in the beauty industry by launching a pioneering digital campaign in partnership with Tencent NBA, aimed at an unconventional yet high-potential consumer group: straight male sports fans. In a market where beauty marketing traditionally targets women, this campaign challenged norms and redefined gender-based engagement.

Faced with a slowdown in user growth and increasing competition from domestic brands, L’Oréal Group sought fresh ways to expand its market. Tencent, leveraging its vast data ecosystem, discovered a surprising trend: men were responsible for a significant portion of beauty product purchases during major holidays, often with a higher average order value. This insight revealed an untapped opportunity—engaging men through their most passionate interest: sports.

At the center of this breakthrough was Tencent Advertising’s Producer, Yuan Feng, who led the campaign from insight to execution. Yuan spearheaded the strategic vision, overseeing the end-to-end process from market research and narrative framing to media planning and creative production. She identified Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine’s Day) as the optimal moment for impact and designed a bold content strategy: pairing NBA’s female anchors with curated YSL gift recommendations in the tone of playful “girlfriend advice.”

These female hosts took on the role of "relationship survival guides," speaking directly to male fans in humorous, emotionally resonant ways—offering not just gift suggestions, but emotional cues. Yuan also coordinated seamless integration of Tencent’s media assets, influencer content, and e-commerce platforms, delivering a full-funnel experience across channels.

The result was immediate and measurable: YSL Qixi gift boxes sold out quickly, campaign ROI reached 2.5, and YSL’s NBA partnership revenue increased 20-fold.

More importantly, Yuan’s work established a replicable model. The strategy was adopted by Lancôme, Armani, and Shu Uemura, and extended from NBA to esports and Olympic IPs. By the end of 2021, this “male IP” framework generated ¥30 million+ in revenue—a 650% YoY increase.

This project not only achieved business success but also reshaped beauty marketing. It stands as a testament to what’s possible when data, creativity, and bold execution converge—powered by a visionary producer behind the scenes.