Sunsilk seizes a moment of success

Unilever uses vignettes of successful women for the global re-launch of Sunsilk

Not too long ago, Unilever brand Dove took the less trodden path with its global ‘Real Beauty’ campaign, which provided a new dimension to the way women looked at themselves. The campaign trashed the cosmetic school of thought and celebrated genuineness and being oneself.

Close on Dove’s footsteps is another Unilever brand, Sunsilk, which is now celebrating the spirit of being a woman. While Dove concentrated on inner strength and beauty, Sunsilk has prepared a case study of famous women who broke norms to find success in the glamour industry.

Sunsilk’s global re-launch campaign is called ‘Life Can’t Wait’. The campaign attempts to go beyond the typical “swirl and twirl” adverts, and shows great hair with great real life stories to match. The campaign presents the stories of showbiz legends Madonna, Marilyn Monroe and the newer pop sensation, Shakira – all women who took it upon themselves to make life happen. Monroe’s legal endorsement rights were recently bought over by Unilever. Madonna fits the bill as she personally believes “I am my own work of art”. Shakira endorses the thought of living for the moment.

In India, the campaign will also feature former Miss World and Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra, who is endorsing Sunsilk for the first time. Chopra belongs to Bareilly, a small town in Uttar Pradesh, and worked her way to the top with sheer grit and talent.

The television ad shows the women making a mark in their respective fields, with their bouncy, rich hair giving them that extra boost. The super in the ad goes, ‘Their Hair Tells Their Story’, and the main thought is, ‘Make Your Hair Happen’ because ‘Life Can’t Wait’.

N Rajaram, category head, hair care, Hindustan Unilever, says, “Priyanka was the numero uno choice when we were looking out for an Indian name to add to the brigade of international icons because of her uncanny ability to match the glam quotient of the other dazzling divas.”

The re-launch of Sunsilk entails a complete transformation of the brand, including communication, products and packaging, to appeal to the fashionable 20+ woman globally. While the ad co-featuring Chopra will air in India (Desgrippes Gobe in Paris has created the ad), suitable adaptations of the global ‘Life Can’t Wait’ thought will be aired in various markets across the world.

The campaign is being supported with print, outdoor, radio and digital media, with Sunsilk’s gang blog (www.sunsilkgangofgirls.com) playing an important supporting role in the larger scheme of things.