The Brief

Pantene had faced a continuous 18-month decline in national sales. To arrest this we decided to make a bold statement of our core purpose: to help women shine. Research showed a strong prejudice against women who are confident, assertive or career-driven. Unlike their male counterparts, they are seen and labeled unfairly. An assertive man is a boss, while an assertive woman is bossy. A career-driven man is dedicated, a career woman is selfish. What's worse, people have come to accept these biases. For Pantene to help women succeed, there was a need for a conversation about what stops them.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

We aimed to put a spotlight on gender bias and get everyone talking about it. 'Labels Against Women' kicked off with a film showing men and women doing the same thing but with one glaring difference: the labels used on them. We partnered with social news network Rappler.com and initiated the first-ever Philippine study on the issue. The research revealed alarming statistics that were shared in social networks and in a press conference. It turned out, the local insight on unfair labels rang true for women all over the world and the campaign #whipit and #shinestrong featured in global conversations.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

'Labels against women' gained 46 million Youtube views and ranked top 7 most viral video in the world for 2014. A local campaign became a global conversation, getting 45,000 Twitter mentions from its launch in November. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg called it ‘one of the most powerful videos I have ever seen.’ Over 500 news outlets featured the campaign, gained 25 million USD in earned media, and made one billion impressions. The brand saw first significant gain in value share after 8 months of continuous decline. Brand equity dramatically increased: 90% more likely to buy; 83% love the brand more.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

Pantene hair care is about beautiful transformations. To connect with women, the brand wanted a proactive role in helping them shine boldly. But instead of a superficially empowering campaign, the execution went deep into an issue in society that inhibits women from becoming their best. For the first time ever, a shampoo brand did not have a bottle shot or a hair stunt. It made the world face an injustice that happens everyday people have become blind to it. To quote Good Morning America, “it’s a shampoo ad that’s speaking volumes, and not just about voluminous locks.”