Meet the Juror - Interview with Erin Moye
Written By Lindsay Comstock
We’re interviewing select jurors of our CONNECTIONS events to give you insight into their creative path and the type of creative work they’re most interested in seeing.
Meet the Juror: Erin Moye, Director, Head of Global Production, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., West Coast CONNECTIONS
Lindsay Comstock: At what point in your life did you recognize that you wanted to pursue a creative path?
Erin Moye: I was probably 14 or 15. I went to a private school and I actually used to get dress code violations because I was always trying to push the limit on what I could do with my uniform. That’s probably where it started.
LC: Did you end up studying in a creative field?
EM: I went to school for communications. I started with copywriting, which I still help with here and there. I’m a little OCD, so production and wardrobe styling has always been my forte.
LC: Every life event leads us to where we are in the present moment, but was there a specific event or connection with someone that you can credit for helping you to be where you are today?
EM: One thousand percent. Her name is Josette Lata. I was doing an internship at BBH in college and I was bouncing around to different departments within the agency and one was Art Buying. Josette was head of Art Buying at the time. At the time I didn’t realize what the job entailed and when she mentored me, I found that I loved it. And about two months after the internship ended she called and offered me a job. So I moved straight from college in St. Louis to work for her at JWT in New York.
LC: Please describe, in your own words, what your job is and what work it entails.
EM: I’m Head of Production within The Estée Lauder Companies overseeing Smashbox Cosmetics and GlamGlow and it’s all content: we shoot videos, social, visual merchandising, online assets. I do everything from briefing, conception, to execution and I have a team that helps me with post-production. So I'm overseeing an entire campaign from start to finish. I also do casting. We have [Smashbox] Studios attached to us so we have access to shoot at a world-class space. I bring in new talent and emerging artists as much as I can and mentor them.
LC: What projects are you currently working on?
EM: Right now we’re working on one of our biggest product launches for 2023. It’s a new foundation that we’re coming out with, which is a big deal for the brand because we haven’t launched a new foundation in a long time. It has a lot of new technology behind it in terms of skin care and the ingredients used that make it stand out from other foundations.
LC: How do you envision the direction for your brand this year?
EM: We’re evolving everyday. You have to evolve with technology and the market, including TikTok, and platforms that have become the main stage for content. We’re a cosmetics brand that’s born out of the studios. Davis Factor, Max Factor’s grandson and founder of Smashbox Studios and Cosmetics, is also an incredible photographer. His vision has always been about making shit happen and pushing the limits. It’s a little bit Rock and Roll, a little bit savage. And we’re trying to stick to that as a brand and meld it with the new trends of the market. And it seems like that’s exactly what’s going on now in the market. So I think we’re in a good place.
LC: In your constantly growing and expanding industry, how do you find inspiration to keep your work fresh, innovative and relevant?
EM: For me personally, it’s always about travel and culture. I’m inspired by meeting new people and hearing other languages, and textiles and color. It’s about being present and open to what’s going on right now. And I think as a brand it’s the same. We’re trying to be as on top of things as we can. And we’re adapting to what makes sense. I don’t necessarily follow trends personally; I follow what makes me happy. And it’s about making people happy.
LC: What is one piece of work or project that you are most proud of, for the creativity and innovation rather than its recognition or industry "success"?
EM: I worked for Radical Media in New York and I did this project for Tommy Hilfiger and they tasked us with making a buzz around the store’s opening. I had a very small budget and we conceptualized different ways that we might gain some media interest. We decided that we’d hire a marching band and parade them around New York. Of course there were a lot of logistical issues with this idea. I found this inner city band from the Bronx called the Soul Tigers. The director of the band was all about keeping kids off the streets through music. I sourced and made custom uniforms for all of the band members. I went to all of their band practices. And at the head, I marched them through Times Square, Central Park and down Fifth Avenue. I hired a couple ex-NYPD officers to help me stop traffic. We ended up getting a lot of money donated to the band program and it was very rewarding for everyone. It was very hard but very worth it. And it got a lot of media attention.
LC: Which creative disciplines do you commission most, and are most interested in seeing more of, and why?
EM: Hair, makeup, and wardrobe, always. But right now, I’m looking for post-production, and new technologies like AI and 3D.
LC: Are there any trends that you're tired of seeing?
EM: Not really. I enjoy seeing new work and what people are doing. It helps to keep me aware of what’s out there.