BBlunt releases digital campaign #DirtyLittleSecret to promote dry shampoo

Naughty lyrics, spunky visuals... But what's the TG for a product like dry shampoo? A look at the effort.

Time, today, is a much-desired luxury, but so is creating a right impression. And, considering the time crunch that we face today, it is increasingly difficult to turn out well-groomed. So, salon chain BBlunt came up with a solution -- its Back To Life Dry Shampoo, developed by BBlunt experts Adhuna Bhabani and Avan Contractor in association with Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL).

Created for the mobile-first generation, the product has come up with a blogger-featured music video and digital campaign titled #DirtyLittleSecret. In the over two-minute anthem, conceptualised by Schbang, Bhabani can be seen with India's 15 most-followed beauty, fashion and lifestyle bloggers, demonstrating the use of the shampoo in three easy dance steps -- 'Shake, Spray, and Rub-it on for two, Keep your dirty little secret with Dry Shampoo'.

Prominent bloggers in the video include Malini Agarwal aka
MissMalini
, Scherezade Shroff, Santoshi Shetty, Komal K, Shanaya Sardesai, Sonal Sagaraya, Karishma Rawat, Larissa D'sa, Bhumika Thakkar, Anushka Mulchandani, Malvika Sitlani, Megha Bajaj, Debasree Banerjee, Stuti Singh, and Hesha Chimah.

The song has been created with strong sexual innuendos. "Our main task was to create noise about Dry Shampoo and educate consumers about its usage. The beauty of the product is that it can be used anytime, anywhere. Hence, we thought of highlighting its attributes in a fun and engaging manner. That led to the idea of India's first-ever blogger featured music video with the key talk point being 'Where would you do it' - in other words, where would you use the dry shampoo. Where everybody chose to 'do it', is their '#DirtyLittleSecret," says Harshil Karia, founder and creative director, Schbang.

Adhuna Bhabani, founder and creative director, BBlunt informs that the product has been created especially for Indian hair and weather. She believes that it is an "absolute must-have in this heat for those with busy and on-the-go lifestyles." Sprayed on the roots, the dry shampoo absorbs grease and grime within minutes. However, it is no alternative to the regular wash routine.

Being touted as the go-to solution for the 'days in between' hair washes, the dry shampoo is also a relatively new concept for the Indian consumer market. The phenomenon has, so far, largely been B2B here, even though it is quite popular globally.

Commenting on the product's prospects and readiness of the market, Thomas Dawes, creative director, Godrej Consumer Products, says, "To India, dry shampoo is a fairly new concept, but it is definitely picking up -- it's now our best-selling product on e-commerce, contributing 22 per cent towards our online sales. So, we decided to think e-commerce first, and create a niche in the hair-care space. This campaign is our shot at educating customers and amplifying the USP of the product (ease of use) to make this a category to reckon with."

Going by the trend, it is clear that the innovation will find limited takers, and hence, it has to be targetted sharply at a niche audience. The brand zeroed in on females in the age bracket of 15 to 45 years, in the top 15 metros. Elaborating on the TG and the choice of medium employed to reach them, Dawes shares, "Our audience is digital first, the ones who think and react mobile. These are key consumers who have a certain interest and lifestyle, and are users of products that exist in the premium space. They refer to reviews, vloggers and tutorials online before making a purchase. Recommendations and honest reviews play a huge role in this consumer purchase mindset. The digital medium allows you to reach the exact target user, simultaneously tracking the reach."

Wanna know MY #DirtyLittleSecret? Voila! https://t.co/xmLt2pouYn @CandymanLondon @AdhunaAkhtar @bbluntindia (Please RT my 1st music video!)

— MissMalini (@MissMalini) May 17, 2016

The campaign is supported by on-ground events and sampling initiatives. Consultations and demos by BBlunt's hair artists and beauty experts have also been organised at the various points of sale. A line-up of demo videos with expert stylists and a Dubsmash challenge to establish the 'shake, spray, rub' chorus of the song will follow shortly.

This I wanna dance to! How cool is this gang! Well done beautiful lady! @AdhunaAkhtar https://t.co/eif099Is5m

— Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) May 17, 2016

It also has celebs including Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Varun Dhawan and Ritesh Sidhwani discuss the #DirtyLittleSecret on social media. The effort, claims the brand, has fetched 20 per cent organic views for the song. Published on YouTube on May 16, the video has had close to three lakh views so far.

Really really cool. #blunt @AdhunaAkhtar. Love it https://t.co/p57W2ycsDU

— Varun Dhawan (@Varun_dvn) May 17, 2016

Enthused by the response, BBlunt and GPCL are now on a full-scale expansion with the aim to triple the product revenues by the end of 2017. The product can be picked up from all BBlunt salons and modern trade stores such as Health & Glow, Hyper City, Spencers, and NewU. It is also available on beauty e-commerce portals including Nykaa, Amazon, BigBasket, and Myntra. The price range starts at Rs 250 for 30 ml (mini version), and Rs 550 for 75g/125ml.

Smart Move?

Navin Kansal, national creative director, Indigo Consulting, a digital agency that belongs to Leo Burnett, says, "Tying up with beauty and fashion bloggers and featuring them in the video is a smart tactic, given that their spheres of influence have the potential to create a multiplier effect."

Kansal finds the sound track peppy, and the accompanying visuals remind us of the 80's disco music. This, he believes, will get the video noticed. Commenting on the scope for the product in India, he adds, "A dry shampoo caters to a certain milieu and lifestyle. While the lyrics don't stand out, they have been worded to create awareness about the category, occasions for consumption, and ease of using the product."

Tanvi Jain, senior vice-president and branch head - Delhi, Dentsu Webchutney, says that the music video ad format has always been around, so in that sense it doesn't stand out. According to her, this one is a lot more about the product and does a good job of explaining a new product format which can otherwise be confusing.

"The makers have tried some amount of shock value with the lyrics - 'I do it here...there...I feel dirty...6 inches baby', etc. But, by repeating the simple usage instructions, the ad does elicit curiosity about the product. Personally, the lyrics are too full of sexual innuendoes and don't work for me. The professional women today are more open, bold and confident than ever, but to have a bunch of them sing innuendo-heavy lyrics makes it look like they're trying too hard to look 'cool'," she says. Jain thinks it's especially asynchronous when the voices against gender stereotyping are growing louder by the day. "Overall, the visuals are relatable, but the lyrics are somewhat crass for a product that is otherwise anyway interesting," she says.