Simply Natural
Coty, Wella Koleston
Issue 43 | June 2017
Agency
Havas Worldwide Dubai
Creative Team
Executive Creative Director Mark Fiddes Creative Director Pascale Nader Senior Copywriter Yasmina Hatem Art Director Fadwa Abou Hamdan Production
Production Team
Production Manager Adel Rmaity Production House Meraki Photographer Mazen Bousrour Lens Production Snapchat
Other Credits
Social Media Director Hayley Hilton Social Media Executive Tala Saade Account Director Laura Jabbour
Date
March 2017
Background
In the Middle East and GCC region, Wella Koleston was perceived by millenials as a brand 'for my mom'. As they launched a new hair-coloring product based on Natural ingredients, Koleston wanted to not only communicate its natural benefits but really target millennials to regain market share in its biggest market, Saudi Arabia.
Idea
To reach millennials, the brand had to meet them on the platform they spent the most time on, with content that would truly engage them. In Saudi, that platform was Snapchat, with Ryadh and Jeddah having the most active usage in the world (7.3M daily users).
The idea was to take advantage of the fact that Snapchat had just launched the possibility of sponsored lenses. Inspired by women's favorite lens, the beautifying flower crown, a lens was created with three layers, three different crowns using the natural ingredients found in Koleston Naturals' core colors: Chamomile for blond, Pomegranate for red and Cinnamon bark for brown. The sponsored lens would only be active for 24 hours. So to maximize reach and make sure as many people as possible used it on the day, a teaser campaign was created with influencers, taking the Snapchat crowns and turning them into a reality. Three influencers dyed their hair (blond, red and brown) and each wore her crown in anticipation of the Snapchat lens.
Results
It was a Snapchat story crowned with success! The campaign beat every benchmark set, and the average playtime was one of the highest seen globally to date. Plays: 10.3 million (benchmark was 1.7 million to 4.6 million). Impressions: 19 million (benchmark top end was 14.6 million). Average playtime per user was: 32.15 seconds (benchmark 15- 20 seconds). Unique reach: 5 million (estimate 1.7 million). Uses (shared): 312,000 (benchmark 150,000).
Our Thoughts
Originally it looked as if Snapchat's real benefit was the impermanence of the images and messages people shared. There was no incriminating evidence. But what millennials liked most about it was it was fun.
For Snap, as it's now called, the challenge has always been how to get the advertiser's dollars. Sponsored lenses, for instance. Full marks to Havas Dubai, not just for being the first to use the platform, but for using it so intelligently, getting content creators involved and making sure the campaign had a short – but glorious – life.
Further evidence that these days, if you want to reach a youthful target audience, you have to keep your wits about you.