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The Ethics of Extreme Beauty Stunts: Safety, Messaging and Consumer Impact

UUnknown

2026-02-21

8 min read

A thoughtful evaluation of stunt-based beauty marketing like Rimmel's beam stunt — examining safety, transparency and consumer trust in 2026.

Hook: Why this matters to beauty shoppers and brands right now

When a mascara launch becomes a rooftop spectacle, shoppers notice — and they worry. You want a stylist who is vetted, pricing that is clear, and product claims you can trust. You do not want brands normalizing dangerous behavior or hiding production truths behind glossy footage. The Rimmel stunt that put a gymnast on a balance beam above Central Park is a vivid example of the tension between show-stopping marketing and consumer safety. In 2026, with increased regulatory scrutiny and more vocal audiences, the ethics of stunt-based beauty marketing matter more than ever.

The evolution of stunt marketing in beauty: attention, amplification, and limits

Brands use extreme stunts because they cut through digital noise. In late 2025 and early 2026 we saw a hybrid of real-world stunts and immersive digital activations: rooftop performances, staged danger moments, and augmented-reality extensions that multiply viral reach. These campaigns deliver immediate attention and can create iconic brand moments — but they also raise new questions about stunt safety, influencer risk, and transparency.

The Rimmel stunt in context

Rimmel London partnered with a Red Bull athlete, gymnast Lily Smith, to perform a 90-second balance beam routine 52 stories above street level as part of a launch for Thrill Seeker Mega Lift Mascara. The stunt was designed to reinforce a product message — extreme lift and bold performance — while generating earned media. Lily Smith framed the experience as exhilarating and aligned with her sport: she said performing in that setting was a 'total thrill' and an expression of pushing limits. The production generated attention worldwide, and the clip was widely shared across platforms.

Immediate ethical concerns: safety, messaging and replication risk

Three ethical fault lines appear in stunts like Rimmel's:

Physical safety — the potential for harm to performers and crew from height, stunt complexity, or unexpected incidents.
Messaging impact — whether the stunt implicitly encourages viewers to replicate dangerous behavior or normalizes risk-seeking as beauty aspiration.
Influencer risk — pressure on athletes and creators to accept high-risk briefs that may affect health, careers, or collegiate eligibility.

Why safety isn't optional

Audiences are more skeptical of spectacle than ever. If a stunt causes visible harm, or if investigations reveal inadequate safety protocols, the brand suffers long-term reputational damage that far outweighs any short-term spike in impressions. Ethical marketing requires a duty of care: for performers, for crew, and for viewers who may attempt to imitate what they see.

"Brands that shortcut safety create systemic risk: to people, to trust, and to the industry."

Regulatory and platform landscape in 2026

Regulators and platforms tightened expectations around influencer content and event safety in 2025, pushing brands to be more explicit about production protocols and disclosures. While rules vary by market, the trend is clear:

Regulatory bodies expect clearer disclosures when a stunt is produced or staged, and when professional athletes are involved.
Insurance carriers increasingly require documented risk assessments for high-exposure activations.
Social platforms have grown stricter on content that could incite dangerous imitation, applying age gates, labels, or removal when necessary.

In practice, this means brands must plan stunts with legal and safety teams at the table early, not as afterthoughts.

Consumer perception: the trust trade-off

Stunts can either build trust or erode it. When consumers see a stunt that aligns with a believable product claim and is transparently produced, it reinforces brand credibility and can increase purchase intent. When a stunt looks staged, reckless, or exploitative, consumers react negatively — often more strongly than they praise the original creative.

How audiences interpret stunts

Authenticity matters: audiences reward campaigns that feel earned and explain why the stunt is relevant to the product.
Safety signals matter: visible harnesses, safety briefings, or post production commentary can shift perception from 'danger for PR' to 'crafted spectacle with care.'
Demographic differences: younger audiences may favor bold moments but also hold brands accountable via comments and activism; older demographics may interpret extreme stunts as manipulative.

Case study analysis: benefits and missed opportunities in the Rimmel beam stunt

What Rimmel achieved: high saliency, global reach, and alignment between product positioning ('Thrill Seeker') and creative execution. The stunt created a memorable visual metaphor for lift and daring.

What could have been improved ethically and narratively:

More visible safety documentation in promotional materials — a short behind-the-scenes segment showing harnesses, production checks, and medical presence.
Explicit guidance discouraging replication with a clear safety disclaimer in every post where the stunt is shown.
Context about the athlete's informed consent, timing relative to her competition season, and compensation transparent enough to reassure viewers.

Best practices checklist for ethical stunt campaigns

Below is a practical checklist brands, agencies, and PR teams can use before greenlighting a stunt:

Document a formal risk assessment with an independent safety auditor and make a summary publicly available where appropriate.
Involve performers' support teams — coaches, medical staff, and legal advisers should sign off on scope and timing.
Secure comprehensive insurance that covers performers, crew, third-party liability, and potential business interruptions.
Obtain all necessary permits and follow local authority guidance about public safety and crowd management.
Provide transparent disclosures across channels: label staged vs live, and include safety disclaimers that are clearly visible.
Design content to discourage imitation — add text, voiceovers, or pinned comments that explicitly warn against replication.
Plan crisis communications with templates and spokespeople trained for safety incidents or negative press.
Measure beyond reach — include metrics for brand trust, sentiment, and safety KPIs in post-campaign reporting.

Guidance for PR pros and agencies

For agencies that craft stunts, ethics should be an explicit value proposition. Build standard operating procedures that include safety sign-offs, independent audits, and ethical review boards for high-risk creative. Pitch alternatives that deliver boldness without physical danger: immersive AR activations, high-drama cinematography, or curated athlete endorsements that feature skill rather than risk.

Contracts and compensation

Ensure contracts explicitly cover health and safety, cancellation rights for athletes, and recovery support. If an athlete or influencer is paid for a stunt, disclose this to audiences when required by regulation and practice fairness in negotiation — do not use financial pressure to coerce risk acceptance.

Advice for influencers and athletes

Influencers and talent should insist on clarity before agreeing to high-risk briefs. Practical steps:

Request a written safety plan and emergency protocols;
Ask for medical and coaching support to be present during the stunt;
Negotiate cancellation rights if coaches or medical staff advise against participation;
Keep clear records of informed consent and compensation;
Consult legal counsel when clauses limit future claims or impose undue reputational risk.

How consumers should evaluate stunt content

As a shopper and audience member you can reduce harm and reward better behavior by making active choices:

Look for transparency cues — do posts include behind-the-scenes detail or safety disclaimers?
Be wary of unlabelled live or dangerous stunts that omit production context.
Call out imitation risk in comments or flag content to platforms if it seems likely to inspire dangerous behavior.
Support brands that prioritize ethics by buying from companies that publish safety summaries or provide behind-the-scenes content.

Future predictions for 2026 and beyond

Based on trends emerging in late 2025 and early 2026, expect the following shifts:

Stunt-safety labeling will become more common — short safety summaries or 'verified production' badges may be adopted by platforms and industry bodies.
Virtual stunts will rise — AR and CGI will allow brands to create thrill without endangering people, and consumers will increasingly prefer polished virtual spectacle over real-world risk.
Insurance and compliance marketplaces will create products tailored to influencer activations, making safety documentation a cost of entry for memorable campaigns.
AI deepfakes will complicate authenticity — brands must be transparent when AI is used to augment or simulate stunts, or risk accusations of deception.

Actionable takeaways: what to do this week

For brands: implement the five-point pre-stunt safety sign-off (risk audit, legal, insurance, medical, transparency plan).
For agencies: add a 'stunt ethics' section to every pitch and include alternatives that reduce physical risk while preserving spectacle.
For influencers: request safety documentation and refuse briefs that compromise your health or professional obligations.
For consumers: demand transparency. Vote with your wallet for brands that publish behind-the-scenes safety content and that avoid glamorizing harmful imitation.

Final thoughts: balancing creativity and care

Stunts will continue to be part of beauty marketing because they can create unforgettable imagery. But in 2026 the calculus has shifted. The most effective and sustainable campaigns balance creative ambition with rigorous care for performers and audiences. Brands that embed safety, transparency, and ethical decision-making into their creative process will win trust — and sales — in the long run.

If you care about ethical marketing and want to see more campaigns that marry boldness with responsibility, start by asking two questions when you see a stunt: 'Could someone be harmed by this?' and 'Is the production transparent about how it was made?'. If the answer to either question is unclear, call for clarity.

Call to action

Join the conversation. If you work in brand, agency, or as an influencer, download our free 12-item Stunt Safety Checklist and adopt it for your next campaign. As a consumer, share this article with brands and creators that you follow and demand transparency. Together we can keep beauty bold — without putting people at risk.

Unknown

Contributor

Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.