Beauty

Putting on your ‘Game Face’ means getting ready to own your day.
Global esports organization Gen.G and Benefit Cosmetics Partnership Encourages Women to Put on Their Game Face.

LVMH-owned Benefit Cosmetics, the San Francisco-based makeup brand, and Gen.G, one of the leading esports organizations connecting the U.S. and Asia, announce one of the first cross-industry campaigns between beauty and gaming. Gen.G and Benefit Cosmetics campaign focuses on women’s empowerment across the gaming landscape.

Ranked #6 in the inaugural Forbes list of the world’s most valuable esports companies, Gen.G is the only major organization that owns and operates top teams in the world’s leading esports markets — China, South Korea, and the United States. Its unique portfolio of teams, winners of 7 global championships to date, includes the Seoul Dynasty franchise of the Overwatch League; 2014 & 2017 League of Legends world champion team in South Korea; the world’s top all-female Fortnite team, based in Los Angeles; and the NBA 2K League’s historic expansion franchise in Shanghai.

Gen.G x Benefit Cosmetics digital partnership will include a weekly video series capturing the beauty routines and real stories of four professional female gamers and streamers on Benefit’s Instagram and YouTube channels.

The five women featured for this campaign are: Eleanor Barnes, @Snitchery (host), Kristen Valnicek, @KittyPlays, Gina Darling, @MissGinaDarling, Nicki Taylor,@nickitaylor, Jayden Diaz, @Your Princess.

These videos offer an in-depth look at the day-to-day realities of being a female online, both in the gaming and beauty communities.

The series host is Eleanor Barnes, the influencer known as Snitchery who blends the worlds of beauty and gaming. In each episode, Barnes and the gamer guests will open up about what it’s like to be a woman sharing their lives online, and teach each other more about their daily trials and triumphs. Barnes will create a customized makeup look for each of the women based on their individuality and what makes them feel empowered, AKA: their “Game Face.”

“After serving women for more than 40 years in the beauty business, we at Benefit know how empowering makeup can be when women use it as a tool for expression, creativity, and self-love,” said Lisa Li, Director Global Digital Marketing, Benefit Cosmetics. “Women make up almost half of the audience watching and playing games.”

Kicking off the series’ first episode will feature one of the world’s most popular players, Kristen Valnicek also known as “KittyPlays.” Valnicek was also named Gen.G’s Head of New Gaming Initiatives in 2019.

“I’m thrilled that Gen.G and Benefit are working together to bring a sense of belonging and community within gaming for women,” said Valnicek. “There are so many amazing women in the gaming community, and I am excited that through partnerships like this, women can take the spotlight and feel confident about their gameplay.”

“We want all players to feel like they belong in the gaming community regardless of gender,” said Gina Chung, Gen.G’s VP of Brand, Activation & Apparel . “Our vision is to create an inclusive environment for all, which is why we prioritize initiatives focused on equality and fairness. Working with Benefit is a great example of how the gaming audience is vastly growing and how esports organizations can step up to create positive communities for female gamers. ”

With more than 2,700 BrowBars and 85 boutiques worldwide, Benefit has become the brow destination for both product and service. The prestige beauty brand is part of the world’s leading luxury products group, Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy.