Kelly Clarkson - Broken & Beautiful (Produced by Marshmello & Steve Mac) - UglyDolls | Clapboard Ad Archive

Kelly Clarkson’s Broken & Beautiful campaign for UglyDolls, launched in the United States in 2019, strategically fuses music, animation, and celebrity culture to promote both the film and its soundtrack with precision and emotional resonance. This film campaign, developed for the media and entertainment category, leverages Clarkson’s dual role as the voice of the film’s protagonist Moxy and as a Grammy-winning music artist performing the title track produced by Marshmello and Steve Mac. The video, directed by Jay Martin and animated in collaboration with ATK PLN and Reel FX, blends live-action footage of Clarkson backstage with animated sequences featuring the iconic UglyDolls characters, creating an immersive narrative that transcends traditional promotional content. The storyline centers on Moxy’s curious and confident backstage exploration during Clarkson’s performance preparations, injecting moments of humor and warmth that culminate in a cameo by Clarkson’s daughter, River Rose, thereby humanizing the celebrity and deepening audience connection. This approach situates the campaign firmly within Clapboard’s FORMAT#8—Ongoing Characters or Celebrities, using Clarkson’s established public persona and her character’s animation to build a multi-layered brand experience that bridges the physical and digital worlds. The campaign’s thematic emphasis on self-acceptance, strength, and positivity is reinforced through Clarkson’s empowering affirmations and the narrative arc of Moxy’s spirited confidence, reflecting the brand’s core values and enhancing its appeal across demographics. Distributed across multiple digital platforms and supported by social media activations, the campaign amplifies engagement with Clarkson’s Chemistry album and UglyDolls merchandise, expanding the brand’s footprint beyond the film’s theatrical release. Clapboard rates this campaign 77/100. This campaign matters to the industry because it exemplifies how integrated storytelling across celebrity, music, and animation can create cohesive brand ecosystems that engage audiences emotionally while driving cross-category synergy in entertainment marketing.