Safety Checklist for Stunt-Based Beauty Campaigns: Legal, Insurance and Aftercare

Hook: Why your next stunt could be your biggest win — or biggest liability

Public activations and athlete-led stunts cut through the noise faster than most ad formats, but they also concentrate legal, medical and reputational risk into a few high-impact minutes. Brands that plan like a marketer and operate like a safety officer win twice: they get the viral moment and avoid expensive claims, shutdowns or long-term damage to talent and reputation. Using the high-risk Rimmel stunt in New York — a 52-story rooftop balance beam routine with Red Bull athlete Lily Smith — as context, this article gives a practical, field-tested safety and legal checklist for beauty brands planning stunt-based campaigns in 2026.

Top takeaways (inverted pyramid)

• Do a formal risk assessment early — insurability and permits depend on it.
• Lock down contracts and medical clearances for athletes and crew before rehearsals start.
• Buy the right insurance layers and confirm exclusions and endorsements in writing.
• Plan emergency response and aftercare — immediate medical, mental health, rehab and PR.
• Document everything for claims, learnings and future activations.

Why the Rimmel stunt matters as a case study (context for teams)

Rimmel’s 2025 launch used a gravity-defying performance by gymnast Lily Smith on a beam 52 stories above street level. That stunt succeeded because partners handled logistics, talent prep and publicity well — and because high production standards, athlete experience and specialist partners were in place. For brands aiming to emulate that level of spectacle, the Rimmel example highlights critical decisions every planner must make: who certifies rigging, what the emergency plan is, who pays for medical evacuation, and how talent wellbeing is protected post-activation.

Performing this routine in such a unique and unusual setting, ahead of my college season, was a total thrill for me, and I am so excited to have had the opportunity

2026 trends that change the checklist

• Insurers use AI-assisted risk modeling to underwrite stunts — expect more granular questions and data requests about biometric monitoring, site LiDAR surveys and rehearsals.
• Wearable biosensors and telemedicine are increasingly standard for athlete monitoring during high-risk activations.
• Local authorities and venues require higher documentation post-2024 incident spikes — digital permits, structural engineering sign-offs and neighborhood impact plans.
• Influencer and athlete contracts expand duty-of-care clauses and include mental health, rest periods and rehab coverage.
• Reputational risk and ESG considerations — brands must demonstrate ethical safety practices publicly; NGOs and media scrutinize stunts closely.

Pre-production: the strategic safety and legal checklist

1. Initial decision checkpoint

• Is the stunt core to campaign objectives or a creative add-on? If non-essential, weigh the incremental risk.
• Estimate worst-case outcomes and budget them into the campaign cost. Always plan for a realistic insurance claim scenario.
• Assign a single point of accountability: a Safety Producer who reports to the CMO and legal.

2. Formal risk assessment

Before casting or briefs, commission a written risk assessment from an independent safety consultant or stunt coordinator. This must include:

• Site survey and geotechnical/structural sign-offs for rooftops or elevated platforms.
• Hazard analysis (fall, wind, equipment failure, public ingress, vehicle collision, crowd crush).
• Likelihood-impact matrix with mitigations and residual risk ratings.
• Regulatory mapping: required permits, road closures, aviation notices for drones, union rules, and building owner agreements.

3. Talent and crew vetting

• Use proven athletes with a track record of similar stunts. Verify credentials and competition history.
• Obtain up-to-date medical clearances, including cardiopulmonary screening if relevant and documented physiotherapist or physician sign-off.
• Mandate rehearsal schedules with progressive exposure: gym rehearsals, low-height repeats, and finally the full-height run with all safety rigs in place.

4. Permits, venue and public authority coordination

• Secure written permits from building owners, municipal parks departments, DOT and any agency governing aerial activations.
• Notify and, where required, contract local emergency services. Some jurisdictions require standby ambulances or fire department presence.
• Permit windows must align with insurance coverage dates — confirm dates in policy declarations.

Legal checklist: contracts and compliance

1. Talent agreements

• Include detailed scopes: rehearsal hours, performance duration, travel, recovery time and limitations on other activities before/after activation.
• Insert a strong duty-of-care clause outlining brand obligations for medical support, protective equipment and emergency transport.
• Medical indemnity and compensation schedules for injury, with specified timelines for filing claims.
• Clear intellectual property and image usage terms for global campaigns and long-tail social content.

2. Crew and contractor contracts

• Stunt coordinators, riggers and medical providers must carry their own professional liability and workers compensation; collect certificates of insurance.
• Include indemnities and hold-harmless clauses but be mindful: courts may limit enforceability for gross negligence.
• Make safety deliverables a contractual milestone — no payment until safety sign-offs are delivered and approved.

3. Waivers and informed consent

• Use carefully drafted informed-consent forms. These can reduce risk but do not eliminate negligence claims; they are weaker for minors.
• Waivers should be jurisdiction-specific and reviewed by local counsel where the activation occurs.

4. Regulatory and labor compliance

• Comply with local labor and union rules for athletes and talent, including rest periods and safety reps on set.
• Check aviation regulations for drones or aerial filming; file NOTAMs if flight paths are affected.

Insurance: what to buy and what to confirm

Insurance is rarely plug-and-play for stunts. Underwriters now expect detailed documentation. Here is the pragmatic insurance checklist.

1. Essential policy layers

• General liability — covers third-party bodily injury and property damage. Confirm limits and aggregated exposures.
• Event liability or public liability — specific to public activations; covers attendees, passersby and venue damage.
• Participant accident / athletic accident — covers athletes for medical expenses, lost earnings and rehabilitation.
• Excess/Umbrella liability — critical when publicly visible activations raise the potential for large claims.
• Professional liability (for stunt coordinators and creative leads) — covers negligent planning or misdirection.
• Equipment and filmers' gear insurance — protects cameras, rigs and props.
• Contingency/cancellation — covers financial losses from weather or shutdowns.

2. What to confirm with underwriters

• Get written endorsements that specifically cover the described stunt. Don’t assume standard GL covers aerial or height-specific risks.
• Ask about exclusions: many policies exclude 'risky stunts' unless separately scheduled and inspected.
• Confirm the insurer's incident-response requirements (who to notify and timelines for claims).
• Retentions and deductibles: set budgets for the brand to cover early-stage claims or legal holds.

On-site operations: execution checklist

1. Safety systems and redundancy

• Use certified rigging and engineering firms with documented inspection logs.
• Redundant life-safety systems: secondary harnesses, backup lines and catch systems for elevated work.
• Wind, weather and environmental monitoring with go/no-go thresholds defined in writing.

2. Medical, rescue and comms

• On-site medical team with trauma-trained paramedics and a predefined evacuation route. If rooftop, plan vertical extraction and liaise with building fire teams.
• Real-time vitals monitoring if acceptable to talent and permitted by law — wearables can flag cardiovascular events early.
• Secure comms across safety, production and talent: radios with a dedicated safety channel and a backup cell/mesh network.

3. Crowd and public control

• Physical barriers, stewards and signage to keep bystanders out of hazardous areas.
• Clear public messaging about viewing areas and prohibited behaviors.

Aftercare: immediate, short-term and long-term plans

Aftercare is too often an afterthought, yet it is where brands demonstrate duty of care and protect against long-term liability and reputational fallout.

1. Immediate post-activation care (0–72 hours)

• Medical evaluation and documentation for talent and any injured parties. Keep thorough medical records and consented photos of injuries.
• On-call physiotherapy and rest; avoid press obligations until talent is cleared.
• Begin incident log with witness statements, security footage, and weather data if relevant.

2. Short-term follow-up (72 hours–30 days)

• Arrange follow-up medical visits and mental-health check-ins. High-stress stunts often produce delayed symptoms like concussion or anxiety.
• Maintain open lines to insurers and legal teams to start claims and preserve evidence.
• Deliver a factual press statement if an incident occurred; avoid speculation and prioritize wellbeing updates.

3. Long-term care and learnings (30 days+)

• Cover rehabilitation, physical therapy and reasonable lost-earnings claims per contract terms.
• Conduct a full post-mortem: safety performance, contractor delivery, insurance response and legal outcomes. Create updated SOPs.
• Archive all documentation: permits, inspections, contracts, medical records and video for future underwriting and audits.

Reputation and crisis management checklist

• Prepare templated statements and a designated spokesperson. Delay comments until facts are verified.
• Be transparent about safety measures taken; audiences reward brands that show care and learning.
• Offer restitution or public support for injured parties beyond legal minimums where appropriate — this often limits escalation.

Data, documentation and technology: the new must-haves in 2026

• Digital site surveys — LiDAR scans and 3D models are now common underwriting deliverables for elevated stunts.
• Wearables and telemedicine integration — real-time heart-rate, oxygen and motion data help safety teams and may reduce premiums.
• Incident dashboards — log every near miss and incident for continuous improvement and insurer audits.

Sample checklist you can copy into production

1. Commission independent risk assessment and engineering sign-off — 90+ days before activation.
2. Secure written venue and owner permits — 60+ days.
3. Obtain and confirm insurance binders and endorsements — 45+ days.
4. Sign talent contracts with medical, duty-of-care and IP clauses — 45+ days.
5. Complete all rehearsals at reduced risk levels with safety sign-offs — 21 days.
6. Confirm on-site medical/rescue and evacuation plans — 14 days.
7. Final go/no-go meeting with safety producer, legal, talent and insurer rep — 48 hours.
8. Execute activation with redundant safety systems and live monitoring — day of.
9. Immediate medical checks post-activation, incident log and press hold — 0–72 hours.
10. Full post-mortem, claims follow-up and SOP update — within 30 days.

Common pitfalls that trip up beauty brands

• Assuming influencer waivers equate to comprehensive protection — they rarely do for gross negligence.
• Underbuying insurance or failing to list the stunt in policy schedules.
• Relying on verbal assurances from venues or contractors; always require written sign-offs.
• Not budgeting for post-event rehab and reputation management.

Final considerations for athlete safety and fairness

• Treat athletes and influencers as partners, not props. Their long-term careers matter to your brand credibility.
• Include cooling-off periods and limits on scheduling other competitive events around the activation.
• Offer insurance and medical support that exceeds minimums — this elevates trust and can reduce long-term brand risk.

Closing: plan like a safety officer, market like a creative

Stunt-based beauty campaigns deliver unforgettable creative impact when executed with rigorous safety and legal planning. The Rimmel stunt demonstrates that spectacle and safety can coexist when brands invest early in risk assessment, certified partners, comprehensive insurance and athlete aftercare. In 2026, with smarter underwriters, advanced monitoring tech and higher public scrutiny, the margin for error is smaller — but so are the surprises for teams that follow a disciplined checklist.

If you are planning a public activation, start with one action today: assign a Safety Producer and schedule a third-party risk assessment within 7 days. That single decision protects talent, preserves your campaign and makes insurers and regulators partners rather than obstacles.

Call to action

Ready to build a bespoke safety and legal plan for your next stunt-based activation? Contact our safety advisory team for a 30-minute audit and downloadable production checklist tailored to rooftop, aerial and athlete-driven campaigns. Protect your talent, your brand and your moment in the spotlight.

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