A fashion drama that turned Maybelline’s centennial campaign into a story about ambition, vulnerability, and identity.
Bernie’s role
Creator, showrunner & director
Platform / partner
Maybelline · StyleHaul · Canvas Media Studios
At a glance
2016 Daytime Emmy nomination
From campaign to character.
Vanity grew out of Maybelline’s “Dare to Go Nude” campaign. Bernie translated that idea into emotional honesty and courage, building a scripted drama around characters willing to reveal who they were.
The series connected traditional performers and digital creators, with companion videos and social participation extending the narrative.
After the campaign, Entertainment One repackaged Vanity for international television. The series earned a 2016 Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Digital Drama Series.
Bernie explains how Maybelline’s brief became Vanity, how the episodes were structured, and what it meant to bring a sponsor and digital creators into the production.
Starts at 43:05 in part 2 · Recorded March 31, 2026
The brand’s themes informed the characters and their choices. Product, performance, creator content, and audience participation were planned as parts of one experience.
For Bernie, it was an opportunity to bring the same attention to story and audience to a commercial partnership.
