Every now and then I see a campaign that really resonates with me. When I recently returned from New York, there was a big box on my desk and inside it was a headband. The gift was to symbolize John Frieda Frizz Ease’s “Never Pull Back” campaign.
We all have those days when things aren’t going our way, and it often starts with our hair. When stress is building, time is tight, and the humidity is up, sometimes we can’t handle dealing with our hair on top of everything else. So we give up and put it up. But when you surrender to frizz and throw your hair up in a tired bun or pull it back into an “I don’t care” ponytail, then you feel like you are not putting your best self forward.
As I was opening the box, my curls were perched on my head in a messy bun. The ongoing thunderstorm had created atmospheric conditions that made doing anything else seem futile. So up it went.
I think most of NaturallyCurly’s office walks around with a “Plan B” on their desk, on their wrist or in their purse – a ponytail holder, scarf, bobby pins, headband or something else that can help salvage a bad hair day. It’s just the way it goes when you have waves, curls and coils and your hair can morph by the hour, taking on a completely different shape than it started out as.
We try to help our readers understand that this is all a part of the adventure of having curls and coils. Our goal is to help them learn how to feel some sense of control over hair that might fight them every step of the way.
I was “headband dependent” for much of my 20s and 30s, afraid of what the front of my hair would do if it wasn’t tethered back. I think I had a permanent ridge in my scalp from my headbands. Finally, curly hairstylists taught me how to style the front of my hair and I felt a sense of freedom and confidence I had never felt.
I’m not alone. At one Curl Gathering an older woman came up to me in tears. She showed me her employee badge, which didn’t look anything like the woman in front of me. In the photo, her hair was pulled severely back into a bun. In front of me stood a confident woman with beautiful golden curls surrounding her face. She said NaturallyCurly had helped her “set her hair free,” and along with it her true personality emerged.
So kudos to John Frieda for coming up with a campaign that really hits home.
“You always have a choice – to pull back or to push confidently forward – and share with your friends to instantly deliver a welcome jolt of inspiration,” says the campaign.
I was not so enthusiastic about their video, which showcases three barely wavy models who unfurl the Statue of Liberty's hair. The idea is cute, but the models completely offset any message they were trying to send. If the 60-second digital video is truly trying to support products that treat frizzy and curly hair, show some real curls and coils! Know your audience!
