Drunk Elephant Tone of Voice — Clean & Effective

Tagline: "Clean-clinical skincare that works"

Industry: Skincare

Sector: Beauty

How Drunk Elephant Communicates

Drunk Elephant ties skincare to being both clean and genuinely effective, with a playful edge. "Clean-clinical skincare that works" frames the brand around ditching questionable ingredients without sacrificing results — clean, effective, playful. The voice is clean-clinical and cheeky, selling skincare that is serious about ingredients and results but never takes itself too seriously in tone.

Tone Words

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

Communication Style

  • Language Style: Clean-clinical
  • Sentence Type: Statement
  • Tense: Present
  • Expression: Straightforward

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 clean-clinical, 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 clean-clinical language, with straightforward messaging, in statement-style sentences, using the present tense.

More Beauty brand voices

  • Kosas tone of voice
  • Tatcha tone of voice
  • Supergoop! tone of voice
  • Merit tone of voice
  • Tower 28 tone of voice
  • Olaplex tone of voice
  • goop tone of voice
  • La Mer tone of voice
  • SK-II tone of voice
  • La Prairie tone of voice
  • Clé de Peau tone of voice
  • Sisley tone of voice
  • Charlotte Tilbury tone of voice
  • Pat McGrath Labs tone of voice
  • NARS tone of voice
  • Hourglass tone of voice
  • Tom Ford Beauty tone of voice
  • Byredo tone of voice
  • Le Labo tone of voice
  • Diptyque tone of voice
  • ILIA Beauty tone of voice
  • Rhode tone of voice
  • Summer Fridays tone of voice
  • Glow Recipe tone of voice

Compare Drunk Elephant

  • Drunk Elephant vs Kosas tone of voice
  • Drunk Elephant vs Tatcha tone of voice
  • Drunk Elephant vs Supergoop! tone of voice
  • Drunk Elephant vs Merit tone of voice
  • Drunk Elephant vs Tower 28 tone of voice
  • Drunk Elephant vs Olaplex tone of voice
  • Drunk Elephant vs goop tone of voice
  • Drunk Elephant vs La Mer tone of voice

Browse 3,202 brands by sector

  • Technology brand voices
  • Food & Beverage brand voices
  • Consumer Goods brand voices
  • Finance brand voices
  • Sports & Fitness brand voices
  • Fashion brand voices
  • Travel & Hospitality brand voices
  • Healthcare brand voices
  • Investment brand voices
  • Automotive brand voices
  • Industrial brand voices
  • Services brand voices
  • Entertainment brand voices
  • Retail brand voices
  • Cryptocurrency brand voices
  • Beauty brand voices
  • Luxury brand voices
  • Energy brand voices
  • Media brand voices
  • Gaming brand voices
  • E-commerce brand voices
  • Insurance brand voices
  • Education brand voices
  • Home & Garden brand voices
  • Real Estate brand voices
  • Aerospace brand voices
  • Design brand voices
  • Telecom brand voices
  • Home
  • Compare brands
  • Top lists
  • Taglines
  • Glossary
  • About