If you are anything like me, you love the scoop on the latest and greatest hair and beauty products. Or maybe you enjoy relaxing by catching your favorite show on T.V. or browsing the internet. Either way regardless of your interests or media consumption preference, you have probably heard or seen some type of advertising for the new premium hair care brand Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy. Recently launched by Unilever, Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy is already sold in 42 different countries and has just recently made its way to the United States market, and already it’s making a splash.
One of the first things that came to my mind upon discovering this new line was wondering how exactly a new brand of shampoo and conditioners distinguishes itself from their abundance of competition. If you’ve been down the hair care isle at your local store lately, you know that it can be overwhelming with the large variety of options there are to choose from. To combat this issue Unilever is taking a new (and extremely interactive) approach to promote their brand and get the consumer’s attention. In their promotion for Clear, NBCUniversal’s Integrated Media along with Creative Partnerships & Innovations Group and Mindshare Entertainment have created one of the largest social television advertising campaigns to date. “In today’s crowded marketplace, it is more important than ever to rise above the clutter with breakthrough creative that engages audiences in new and unexpected ways” says John Shea, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of integrated media at NBCUniversal.
Advertising for Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy is focused around a multi-part mini-series that will air across several different TV networks including NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen, and Style as well as their online websites. Named “The Best Night Ever,” viewers follow two club-goers on their quest to gain access to the VIP room and have, well, their best night ever! Jane Krakowski, Giuliana Rancic, Andy Cohen and Tim Meadows are among the characters within the commercials. “Ultimately as our characters and celebrities prove, the secret to having your best night ever is not befriending the bouncer or getting to know the bartender, it’s about the confidence that great hair brings” says David Rubin, U.S. haircare marketing director for Unilever.
Viewers can tune in to watch segments of the series air during different programs on different networks and are then directed to go online to Clear’s Twitter or Facebook pages. Once there, viewers can gain access to an online video platform that allows viewers to make choices that affect the course of the series in real time. While viewers are there they can check out the latest information on the product and leave their comments and questions as well. “This is audience engagement at its best. By infusing entertainment into the Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy message, the campaign becomes a fun, shareable, impactful experience,” notes Barbara Biangiardi, Senior Vice President of Creative Partnerships and Innovation.
Marketing your brand this way allows access to direct consumer communication and allows your company to be more attuned to the ever changing trends in the market. Only time will tell how successful Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy will be in the United States, as the last part of the mini-series is set to air June 11th. With such an innovative marketing strategy where viewers are engaged with multiple screens yet exposed to only one product, it would be hard to imagine anything other than success for Unilever. As their campaign suggests, you can accomplish anything as long as your hair looks great!
Contributed by: Nicole Juliano
