Challenge
Max Factor is a hallmark brand in the world of beauty and enjoys near-universal awareness (94%). However, eroding salience and a growing disconnect between the brand and its customer base meant doing something drastically different to make Max Factor mean something more to a 35+ female audience; this is a group who had a fundamentally different relationship with make-up compared to their millennial counterparts.
While most beauty brands turn to TV, we needed something else – something unmissable.
Insight & Idea
Mirroring classic, Hollywood glamour
We would draw on Max Factor’s historic reputation: classic glamour, make-up artistry and Hollywood. And there was only one place this campaign could shine: the silver screen.
Knowing our audience go to the cinema approximately twice a year, we partnered Max Factor with Murder on the Orient Express and The Greatest Showman. Both films were pegged to be the biggest blockbusters for 2017, and had leading ladies who resonated with our audience.
We created bespoke content for the cinema in the form of make-up tutorials that recreated looks donned by the leading ladies in each film.
Aimed at our female audience in their ‘rediscovery stage’, looking to become their best selves, we showed how easy it could be to recreate ‘film star’ looks at home with a product range that could embrace and empower them.
Execution
The Plan: A series of unmissable blockbusters
Joining forces with 20th Century Fox, Digital Cinema Media and Recipe, Max Factor combined film footage with tailor-made tutorials led by brand ambassador Caroline Barnes.
In a media first, we partnered solely with flagship cinema venues – Picturehouse, Everyman, and Curzon – to bring a range of on and off-screen activity to life including events, takeovers and competitions.
But we didn’t stop there – Max Factor hosted four premier-style events.
Content was amplified through social and YouTube to further increase the reach of the campaign and create more excitement around the film launches.
The campaign was a glittering success driving brand consideration and sales.
ROI
Healthy Skin Harmony (the lead product) saw 3.5% value sales growth (the overall foundation category was in decline over this period). Max Factor was the #1 selling brand in self-select cosmetics over December – the thick of the campaign period. The rest, as they say, is history.
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