Rhode’s $1 billion acquisition by e.l.f. Beauty marked a major milestone for the beauty brand, making headlines and flooding social media. Just weeks later, Rhode named “Babygirl” actor Harris Dickinson as its first ever male ambassador—or “Rhode Boy” as they say—a move placing the brand within inclusive beauty and celebrity relevance.
But to understand how a moment performs doesn’t exactly happen in a single post’s vanity metrics. Monitoring how a brand campaign performs means having a cohesive view over how it plays out across what we call Voices: the individuals and entities that drive brand mentions and engagement—from Media and Owned Media to Influencers, Celebrities and Brand Partners.
To measure how each Voice contributes, we use Media Impact Value® (MIV®), Launchmetrics’ proprietary metric that assigns a dollar value to brand exposure across social, online and print. With a Voice-Centric approach, it helps brands see which Voices are actually driving awareness and where campaigns are delivering the most value.
So how did Rhode’s moment with Harris Dickinson land? Let’s take a look at the campaign, story and data.
The Glazing Mist Campaign: Rhode’s First Strategic Move After Its $1B Deal
As a minimalist campaign with black and white images, a sharp, editorial aesthetic and light messaging, the Glazing Mist campaign signals the perfect fit between Rhode and Dickinson. The campaign launched just weeks after Rhode made headlines for its $1 billion acquisition by e.l.f. Beauty, one of the fastest-growing players in the industry.
Still a founder and the face, Hailey Bieber remains at the brand’s forefront. Rhode’s early strategy was built on intimacy around Hailey’s routines, selfies and daily posts. But now, with a new engine behind it, Rhode is shifting gears while staying true to its DNA. Ultimately, this bold move was more about shifting the perception of the brand.
In that context, Dickinson’s casting lands differently. It marks Rhode’s first major brand move under its new ownership and one still very much under the public eye. As he holds the brand’s new Glazing Mist like the most natural thing in the world, it reflects the calm confidence that defines both the product and his on-screen presence.
And as The Cut wrote:
“Have you ever wanted to see Dickinson eating a chip? I’ve got you”, the pull of his subtlety and natural ease speaks volumes in garnering attention.
You can even say that Rhode let the product and aesthetic speak for itself. This new campaign symbolizes a step out of the box into a broader space of a more polished and editorial style, yet still grounded in that clean, slightly sporty Rhode DNA.
Now, let’s look at how this product launch and partnership landed.
Here’s What Launchmetrics’ Data Tells Us
While typical beauty launches often drive reach through Influencers, Rhode leaned into Media and Owned Voices. Because this was both an ambassador announcement and a product launch, there was no need to rely on general creators or even Harris’s own content. Instead, Rhode used the ambassador moment to introduce the Glazing Mist — tying both announcements together in a controlled, brand-led narrative.
That approach paid off. Within the first 48 hours, the campaign generated $1.1M in MIV.
What’s interesting is where that impact came from. More than 60% of the MIV® was driven by Media: Elle, WWD and The Cut covered the campaign extensively, editorializing the news rather than just reporting on it. They moved beyond treating this campaign like a typical celebrity partnership and more towards a big cultural moment. One headline simply read: “Harris Dickinson is Rhode’s New Babygirl.”
At the same time, Owned Media (Rhode’s Instagram and TikTok content) made up nearly 40% of the total MIV. The top performing post was Rhode officially “announcing” the campaign, a casual carousel featuring Dickinson with the caption: “glazing mist <3 @harrisdickinson 🪽.” That post alone generated $138K in MIV. Once again, using minimal words and allowing the campaign to do the talking.
On the other hand, Influencer content contributed just over 1%, lower than what’s typical for beauty launches, which often include large-scale gifting campaigns, seeded press kits and creator rollouts across platforms. But in this case, this was clearly intentional as Rhode prioritized Owned and Media Voices as part of their strategy. By keeping control of the narrative, the brand allowed the moment to feel deeply curated, leaning on quality over volume.
Geographically, over 70% of total MIV came from the U.S. This comes at no surprise, given the cultural capital of both Bieber and Dickinson in the American market. But media mentions in Brazil, the UK and Mexico suggest an international appeal of both the brand and ambassador, an interesting insight for e.l.f.—particularly if it looks to start building Rhode’s global strategy.
Comment: A Beauty Campaign That Opted for Subtlety
Rather than labelling the launch as gender neutral, Rhode let the casting do the work. Featuring Harris Dickinson without explanation felt deliberate, allowing the product and the moment to speak for themselves and allowing the audience space to decide what it meant,
And that’s exactly why it worked. Hailey herself was clear in her interview for WWD: “I want Rhode to just feel like a world that’s open to anybody who gravitates towards it. That’s why I like bringing a male face into it.”
From a brand-building perspective, this launch does two things:
- It subtly shifts Rhode’s presence beyond just Hailey Beiber: She remains the creative force, but she’s no longer the only face on screen as the brand now evolves.
- It shows that beauty product launches don’t have to rely on high-volume influencer marketing to grow: If you get the brand ambassador right and pair it with a strong creative strategy, Owned Media can carry the message while Media can scale it.
What Comes Next
This may not be a dramatic pivot, but it feels like a clear signal: Rhode appears to be setting the stage for international growth. With e.l.f. Beauty’s global infrastructure behind them and new retail partnerships across North America, the UK and upcoming Sephora launches, the brand is steadily stepping onto a larger stage. Reviews from various outlets are already reflecting that debut buzz.
The question now is whether Rhode can scale globally while holding onto its signature pace and creative direction. Expanding reach without losing the intimacy of its Hailey-led, editorial aesthetic won’t be easy—but if this launch is any indication, the brand knows exactly how to balance ambition with intention.
Want to Learn the Real Power of Brand Ambassadors?
Rhode’s campaign showed what happens when you match the right face with the right moment. Rhode x Harris Dickinson was about expanding the brand’s perception following its acquisition, signaling a new chapter and laying the groundwork for global growth.
Brand ambassadors have the power to do exactly that, but only when brands understand how to choose them, how to activate them and how to measure their full impact. Download the Brand Ambassador Marketing Report 2025 to see how top brands are using building ambassador strategies that go beyond visibility and drive real, measurable business outcomes.
Brand Ambassador Marketing for Fashion, Lifestyle and Beauty Brands
By Luna Weissman
