PANTENE OFFER STRENGTH

Context: After several years with only few communication initiatives implemented, Pantene, one of the most loved beauty brands in the world, had a single-digit market share on the local market. P&G needed to take quick action to change the situation.

Research: In Romania, over 35,000 women survive cancer every year, and most of them remain scarred for life. Hair loss is often a side effect of cancer treatments and burdens patients with an additional struggle. However, the state health insurance does not cover the wigs’ production cost of over 200 euro. So even if they had defeated cancer, even though they were actual winners & strong women, they felt weak, discouraged and self-conscious.

Planning: Pantene knows women feel at their best in their good hair days, so it was definitely in a position to make a difference. We called our program Offer Strength, to fit the brand’s voice and also engage consumers. But first, we need to be stronger as well. Renasterea Foundation, an NGO with 15 years of experience that dedicated its activity towards creating awareness around cancer prevention and creating better conditions for women’s health, was the right match. Next, Mega Image became our business partner.

Strategic approach: We designed a 360 campaign in which we connected Pantene with an emotional cause where the brand could make a difference: making hair & money donations for wig manufacturing. The mechanism allowed for three types of donations: buying Pantene, hair donations and direct money donation to Renasterea.

Launch: Pink Illumination

We started with a blast! On October 1^st, we joined activities to mark the International Breast Cancer Prevention month together with Renasterea Foundation. With Government authorities, politicians, VIPs, hairdressers, and media attending the event, we used this opportunity to present our plans to key stakeholders and influencers. Our press release generated a few million impressions in October, the month of cancer prevention.

Sustain:

Our ongoing communication was split on all channels the TVC was on air, OOH displays offered by Mega Image encouraged consumers to donate hair, money or buy Pantene products POSMs, shelf communication and a radio spot in all medium and large Mega Image stores encouraged consumers to join the cause. Through digital, we kept consumers connected to each new phase of the campaign throughout the year with creative executions on Pantene’s Facebook page and also on our partner Hair Salons – 18 hair salons joined our campaign in the first 6 months.

Businesswomen such as Amalia Nastase, TV anchors like Corina Caragea and Andreea Esca, actress Laura Cosoi sports athlete Violeta Beclea and football coach Razvan Lucescu supported our cause the entire year. They amplified our messages in their digital channels and attended press events.

We ended the first year of our campaign with another pink event: Happy Run Race for the Cure is an international fundraising event, a symbolic marathon that celebrates the women who survived cancer. The event was attended by over 2,700 people, 100 of them being women who survived cancer and beneficiaries of our cause.

Results: The campaign managed to exceed all our expectations! Not only did we considerably increased our market share, but we also made an impact on the way former cancer patients feel about themselves. The campaign led to +15 million PR impressions, increased market share and shelf space, all leading to 6,540 donated ponytails and 120 wigs – twice our initial estimations.