Cosmetics Company Takes Bite Out of ‘Sharknado’

Benefit Cosmetics has gotten swept up in Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!

NBCUniversal has expanded the marketers associated with the campy horror movie franchise.

Benefit’s They’re Real mascara brand will have a cameo in the latest disaster made-for-TV movie, premiering July 22 on Syfy.

The brand is also featured in a custom vignette featuring Tara Reid, one of the film’s stars, and Kyle Richards of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The vignette, showing the women fighting off a Sharknado attack, will appear on Syfy, Bravo and E!.

“The Sharknado franchise has proven to be unmatched marketing platform for advertisers, combining the enormous power of television with unparalleled social amplification,” said Alison Tarrant, executive VP, client solutions at NBCU. “It’s no surprise that we are seeing new partners in new categories, and we are excited for Benefit Cosmetics to join us as we take a giant bite out of the viewer pie.”

Terms of the sponsorship were not disclosed.

“We are thrilled to be Sharknado’s first-ever beauty brand partner, it was a no-brainer for Benefit to join as we strive to be fun & disruptive wherever possible,” said Nicole Frusci, VP of Brand Marketing, Benefit Cosmetics.  “What better way can you show large audiences that ‘laughter is the best cosmetic’ than by having bold & girly women kill sharks using mascara?”

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.