Drunk Elephant Tone of Voice — Clean & Effective

Tagline: "Clean-clinical skincare that works"

Industry: Skincare

Sector: Beauty

How Drunk Elephant Communicates

Drunk Elephant communicates with a clean, effective and playful voice using educational language. Their sentences are primarily statements in the present tense. Their messaging is literal. Their tagline, "Clean-clinical skincare that works", captures this voice. The central tension in Drunk Elephant's communication is natural vs. effective, which shapes every message they craft. Their mission is to deliver clinical results with biocompatible ingredients.

Tone Words

Drunk Elephant's brand voice is defined by the following tone words: Clean, Effective, Playful.

Communication Style

  • Language Style: Educational
  • Sentence Type: Statement
  • Tense: Present
  • Expression: Literal

Drunk Elephant Brand Story

Drunk Elephant redefined 'clean beauty' by focusing on what works rather than what's natural or synthetic. Founded in 2012 by Tiffany Masterson, a frustrated consumer who couldn't find products that didn't irritate her skin, the brand eliminated the 'Suspicious 6'—ingredients Masterson identified as the most common irritants. The colorful, playful packaging and product naming (Protini, T.L.C. Framboos) created an approachable entry point to serious skincare. Shiseido acquired Drunk Elephant for $845 million in 2019, validating both the clean beauty movement and the power of founder-led skincare brands.

Brand Message

Skincare without the ingredients that don't belong

Brand Mission

To deliver clinical results with biocompatible ingredients

Brand Positioning

Core Concept: Suspicious 6

Central Tension: Natural vs. Effective

About Drunk Elephant

Drunk Elephant is a Houston-based skincare brand that was acquired by Shiseido in 2019 for $845 million. The brand was originally founded in 2012 by Tiffany Masterson as part of the clean beauty movement, and had its public launch in August 2013. After its launch, Drunk Elephant became one of the fastest-growing brands ever at Sephora, fueled in part by its popularity among younger consumers, including pre-teens, many of whom found the brand on TikTok short videos of "skincare smoothies". Drunk Elephant is the fourth most popular skincare brand in the US.

Frequently Asked Questions About Drunk Elephant

What is Drunk Elephant's tone of voice?

Drunk Elephant uses a clean, effective, playful tone of voice. Their communication is educational, typically using statement-style sentences in the present tense. Their tagline "Clean-clinical skincare that works" exemplifies this voice.

How does Drunk Elephant communicate with customers?

Drunk Elephant redefined 'clean beauty' by focusing on what works rather than what's natural or synthetic. Founded in 2012 by Tiffany Masterson, a frustrated consumer who couldn't find products that didn't irritate her skin, the brand eliminated the 'Suspicious 6'—ingredients Masterson identified as the most common irritants. The colorful, playful packaging and product naming (Protini, T.L.C. Framboos) created an approachable entry point to serious skincare. Shiseido acquired Drunk Elephant for $845 million in 2019, validating both the clean beauty movement and the power of founder-led skincare brands.

What is Drunk Elephant's brand message?

Drunk Elephant's core message: Skincare without the ingredients that don't belong Their mission: To deliver clinical results with biocompatible ingredients

What is Drunk Elephant's slogan?

Drunk Elephant's slogan is "Clean-clinical skincare that works". It carries their clean, effective, playful voice.

What is Drunk Elephant's mission?

Drunk Elephant's mission: To deliver clinical results with biocompatible ingredients

What makes Drunk Elephant's brand voice unique?

Drunk Elephant stands out through their clean, effective, playful communication style. Their central brand tension, "Natural vs. Effective", shapes how they communicate across the Beauty sector.

What language style does Drunk Elephant use?

Drunk Elephant uses educational language, with literal messaging, in statement-style sentences, using the present tense.

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