Agency/Media Company: OMD Canada
Client: Clairol Canada
Brand: Natural Instincts
Media Team: Ailsa MacLachlan, vice-president, group media director; Mandey Moote, media planning supervisor; Tania Taylor-Trainor, media buying supervisor
Timing: June 1999
Best Use of Television: Second Runner-up
The Background
The objectives of the plan were: to promote awareness of the launch of the new shades of Natural Instincts’ Exotic line extension; to build excitement and news around the new shades with teenage girls and other potential first-time hair colour users; and to demonstrate just how easy and risk-free a dramatic change of hair colour can be.
Among the major challenges were: to break through the clutter in an incredibly competitive category; to communicate with the target group in a language they could understand and believe; and to communicate the brand attributes on television, without benefit of having any creative available.
The Plan
The strategy called for Clairol to leverage its existing relationship with MuchMusic to create a unique on-air event. The music station was a logical choice of promotional partner, since it has a strong relationship with teen girls. The event, which took place shortly after the launch of the new shades, featured VJ ‘Rick the temp’ – a favourite with the target group.
Pre-event activities included on-air Clairol giveaways and mentions of the promo by Rick himself.
On Friday, June 18 came the actual event: Natural Instincts, OMD Canada and MuchMusic joined forces…to colour Rick’s hair, live on national television.
The colouring took place during Much’s Combat Zone program. While Rick went about his hosting duties, a Clairol representative took him step-by-step through the process of choosing a shade and using the product. Squirt guns were used to dampen Rick’s hair, and he then applied the product himself.
Viewers were permitted to interact by entering a contest promoted during the program, which offered the chance to write in to win a Clairol gift basket. To be eligible, they had to include in their entry the name of the shade applied to Rick’s hair. Rick wore the robe and backpack from the gift basket throughout the show, thereby helping to promote the contest further.
The Results
In a declining category, Natural Instincts has succeeded in growing its share by 6%. In all, the brand received more than eight and a half minutes of on-air mention, product placement and demonstration – at no cost. The product was endorsed and used on-air by a national celebrity, in a manner that was unmistakably genuine.
Also in this report:
* Bates takes the cake p.BMP2
* MaxAir fires on all cylinders: Multi-tiered plan for high-menthol gum was imbued with irreverence p.BMP3
* Dentyne Ice kisses up to teens with party promo: Initiative was designed to drive both brand awareness and sales p.BMP4
* Kool-Aid placement reflected fun, refreshment p.BMP6
* Aussie creates ‘in your face’ presence: Repositions brand as funky, outrageous p.BMP8
* Guerrilla tactics get Panasonic noticed: Campaign used underground channels to reach club crowd p.BMP10
* Chapters stands out in dot-com crowd p.BMP15
* Campbell’s cooks up targeted advertorial: Partners with CTV, magazines to create a presence beyond traditional ad buy p.BMP16
* Looking at Philips through fresh eyes: Redefinition of target market sparked departure from the traditional choice of television p.BMP18
* Jays plan hits home run p.BMP21
* Minute Maid aims for morning ownership p.BMP24
* Western Union a global Villager p.BMP28
* Scotiabank breaks out of the mold p.BMP32
* Clearnet clusters creative: Complementary boards were positioned in proximity to one another to maximize visibility, engage consumer p.BMP38
* The Judges p.BMP43
