How HUL is trying to entice young women to Lux

A special microsite called www.magicofblack.com has been created to engage young women with the Lux Provocateur brand and experience its benefits virtually

Hindustan Unilever which successfully used online platform to create a buzz about its shampoo brand, Sunsilk, is now trying the same route for Lux. It has launched a special website called www.Magicofblack.com for its newly launched black soap - Lux Provocateur in January 2008.

The site created by Ogilvy One is trying to build brand engagement among users without offering any product related information. It is specially targeted at young women girls in the age group of 18-30 who are looking forward for a makeover in order to get noticed by boys.

According to Kedar Apte, senior brand manager, Hindustan Unilever, “The site is conceptualised to heighten the talkability of the limited edition, Black soap, Lux Provocateur, and to entice women to interact with the brand on a personal level. The site is designed to make brand connect with the users, by creating a buzz about the provocateur quotient that every girl is born with. The site awakens her to bring out her dark side and satisfy her need to be noticed, followed and appreciated.”

How HUL is trying to entice young women to Lux

Magicofblack.com

There are various interactive sections on the site which allow members to experience the benefits of Lux Provocateur brand virtually. For example, a section called ‘Make your own Fantasy’ enables a member to experience a makeover. To begin with, a member has to choose a virtual avatar like ‘Wild Cat’, ‘Bombshell or ‘Angel’ and personalise it with a name. Later on, she can create a story around her avatar and share her story with her friends as well through e-mail.

A forum called ‘Ask Tina’ is also available which allows young girls to discuss, share and ask questions about issues relevant to them. Apart from interactivity, the site also offers members a chance to download wallpapers and screensavers of virtual avatars offered by the site.

Navin Kansal, creative director, Ogilvy One says that “the idea behind the site is to engage online audiences with the Lux Provocateur brand. A lot of people do not understand the message behind the brand name so we developed the site which let the users explore the message behind it.”

Hindustan Unilever is using both offline and online medium to promote the site. It has launched a banner advertising campaign which is running across various portals like Zapak, MSN, Yahoo! and Facebook. A special Facebook application called ‘Provocateur’ has also being released to let the users on social media site to showcase their transformed avatar and share their fantasy stories around it.

The TVC on Lux Provocateur which is on air from January 2008 onwards also carries the URL of the site. The site has received 2.73 lakh page views so far.

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