Unilever Sunsilk Launch

Brand: SunsilkCompany: UnileverAgency: 141 WorldwideCampaign Title: Sunsilk LaunchProduct Category: Hair careTime Frame: Summer 2006Award Category: National Consumer Promotion with a Budget Greater Than $5 MillionMarketing OverviewThe Sunsilk brand solves serious hair-care problems, but doesn't take itself too seriously. It's aimed at the same hipster set as Clairol Herbal Essences and Garnier Fructis products. The North American launch of Sunsilk was Unilever's largest-ever hair care product launch and the company's No. 1 global priority for 2006. In a cluttered category, Sunsilk needed to oomph itself out of the pack and gain major market share within the first year after launch. Knowing we'd never outspend competitors, we had to be smarter, wittier and more creative in what we did.Objectives Create an emotional connection with the target consumer (25-year-old "Katie"). Be in her world: "It's all about me!" Break through with a unique message -- if it's been done before, we ain't doin' it. Get Katie to try, and buy, Sunsilk -- make it as fun as shoe shopping.Strategy & TacticsKatie doesn't buy into typical marketing copy. When it comes to her hair, screw the scientific mumbo jumbo and plastic models with unattainable hair. She wants someone to tell it to her straight. To be relevant to her, we needed to help her with her hair and her life in an honest, humorous way. So we created Hairapy to help Katie laugh away her hair and life dramas! We introduced Sunsilk by giving all kinds of Hairapy to girls across America:The Hairapy GuysWhen Katie has as many splits in her hair as she does in her love life, we wanted to be there to help. But she can't talk to a shampoo bottle. So we created The Hairapy Guys; "Gay Guy Girlfriends" for her to turn to. Just like Carrie in HBO's Sex and the City, now Katie could turn to a gay friend of her own for an honest opinion and some fabulous style tips.The Hairapy Guys' organically snarky, humorous tone personified the brand -- so much so that they were integrated into the TV ads. Mario Cantone (from Sex and the City) became the voice of the brand. He and The Hairapy Guys (Micah, Robbie and Ethan) launched Sunsilk into pop culture in TV ads, on TV series (VH1's Best Week Ever), online (gethairapy.com, myspace pages) and as "Hairapy experts" in fashion magazines.Gift cards let Katie save on her hair so she could spend more on shoes. Because Katie doesn't use FSIs, we turned a traditional coupon into a gift card to be more like her favorite fashion retailers. Delivered in magazine inserts, on displays in stores, direct to her door, online, through health club sampling, collateral pieces and via "Hairapy Guy" sampling experiences, the gift cards gave Katie the retail hairapy she needed.Hairapy Guy sampling teams gave Katie one-on-one Hairapy when her hair got as wild as her girl's nights out. They hit 50 cities and intercepted the target in bars, restaurants, shopping areas and other venues. They used humorous quizzes ("If my hair were a band it would be...") to determine Katie's hair type ("a. Poofycat Dolls, b. Frizz Ferdinand," etc.). This allowed her to receive the Sunsilk threesome sample (shampoo, conditioner and creme) and collateral piece that was right for her.A Sunsilk Teaser Pack (two-ounce bottles of the three products) in select retailers nationwide carried "Chick Chat" magnets. They seeded brand language (oomph, straighten-up, hairapy) and let Katie create snarky statements right on her fridge. Results 240 million PR impressions 5.7 million face-to-face impressions from Hairapy Guy sampling events 1.2 million gift cards distributed (and redeemed above expectations) 1.2 million media impressions Millions of samples requested and received More than 85% of Katies responded "highly favorable" or "favorable" to the Hairapy Guys Share goals exceeded expectations by the first month of launch The program influenced Sunsilk to adopt Hairapy globally.

Unilever Sunsilk Launch

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