Review of Lancôme Juicy Tubes x Ed Westwick Ad Campaign with model Ed Westwick
Lancôme’s Juicy Tubes campaign revives more than a beauty icon—it resurrects a cultural moment. Directed by a sense of playful familiarity, the campaign enlists Gossip Girl star Ed Westwick to reprise his role as Chuck Bass, bringing the early-2000s antihero into the glossy world of lip gloss with a wink of charisma. This video campaign is joined by a roster of era-defining faces with social media endorsements including Mischa Barton, Rachel Bilson, Chad Michael Murray, Amanda Seyfried, and Paris Hilton, each delivering a dose of delicious nostalgia. Celebrity-centered campaigns never really left the advertising world, but the focus shifted to more brand-centered strategy. But now, the pendulum has swung back to fulfill a consumer desire that has layed dormant. This is a clear, clever evolution of Lancôme’s brand strategy: bridging generations by transforming millennial memory into Gen Z fantasy. The result? A campaign that feels both referential and refreshingly self-aware.
The visual universe of the campaign is saturated with Y2K extravagence of plush hotel interiors, dramatic close-ups, and a flirtatious use of color and gloss. The tone lands somewhere between satire and sincerity, with Westwick’s signature deadpan charm grounding the otherwise sugary palette. There’s an implied narrative here: the return of characters and personalities we once adored, now updated and stylized for a short-form content era. Juicy Tubes, once a staple in the bags of teen girls, is reimagined not as a relic but as a portal; one that invites viewers to re-enter a world of cheeky opulence and high-gloss fantasy.
The appeal of celebrity-centered campaigns may seem flashy but really it’s simple and what makes this campaign work is its unapologetic embrace of what made the original Juicy Tubes era so iconic: glamour, drama, and just enough absurdity. Rather than hiding behind minimalism or quiet luxury, Lancôme leans into maximalist memory with celebrities whose personas do the heavy lifting. Westwick’s casting as Chuck Bass is both strategic and symbolic: he doesn’t just sell the product, he sells the universe around it. While the nostalgia is rich, a more imaginative story arc might have heightened the escapism. Still, its strength lies in its simplicity of letting the character do the talking.
Ultimately, this campaign taps into a larger cultural trend: the revival of celebrity-driven campaigns. These aren’t just familiar faces; they’re emotional anchors for audiences who grew up with them. In a time when consumers crave both connection and entertainment, Juicy Tubes delivers both with a glossy smirk. It’s not just about lip gloss. It’s about longing for glamour, for character, for a time when advertising invited us into a story we already knew by heart.
Model | Ed Westwick