Clairol, Inventor of the At-Home Hair Color Category, Reinvents Itself for a New Generation of DIY Beauty Lovers

NEW YORK, NY, March 23, 2023 -- Clairol, the pioneer of at-home hair color, today announced a new global campaign, It’s So Me, featuring a collective of nine real women and creators, each bringing to life the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) expressive spirit of Clairol hair color.

The first global campaign in more than five years, It’s So Me underscores the brand’s modernized strategy of connecting to individuals across a spectrum of ages and demographics. Each woman featured represents a unique segment of the at-home color consumer, yet together are connected in a much larger community of color and beauty lovers who see their hair color as a choice, not a birthright, and a reflection of their true inner selves.

It’s So Me is the creative unveil for what has been a multi-year effort to transform Clairol for a new generation since the brand joined the Wella Company portfolio in 2020.

“Step by step, we have been remodeling our business to better serve today's consumer. And while much of that transformation to-date has been happening behind the scenes, It’s So Me is the first time our consumers will see this refresh in our masterbrand communications,” says Marlene Lotter, Global Senior Vice President of Wella Company’s Retail Hair Division. “We are pulling from the brand's storied past of breaking boundaries and modernizing our message and approach to encourage at home hair color enthusiasts to have fun with hair color on their journey of self-discovery.”

The all-new campaign taps into a recent evolution in the world of hair color. Whereas in the past hair color beauty was often equated to socio-economic status and expensive in-salon services, in recent years, there has been a shift toward a more inclusive and diverse definition of beautiful hair color. As evidenced by trending videos on TikTok, DIY beauty has been elevated and more than ever, celebrated.

It’s So Me builds on this celebration of the at-home hair colorist, and further fosters Clairol’s decades-long commitment to empowering individuals to take their beauty ambitions into their own hands. From Does She or Doesn’t She, which championed the elimination of the hair coloring stigma many women faced in the 50s and 60s, to partnering with Tracey Norman, the first black trans woman model, It’s So Me builds on Clairol’s trailblazing empowerment heritage.

At the helm of It’s So Me is a new global cast, made up of moms, teachers, fashionistas, musicians, TV presenters, and fitness coaches, all of whom embody the essence of Clairol and its iconic history of celebrating women role models. Collectively this group speaks to an audience of over 7 million social media followers.

• Gym Tan - Fashion influencer and mom, Gym enjoys a low maintenance hair routine that enhances her natural color and covers her grays
• Mya Miller - Daughter of Gym Tan, Mya loves enhancing her current color while keeping it looking shiny and healthy
• Sofia Bella - A teacher by day and lifestyle content creator by night, Sofia sees hair color as another form of self-expression and loves to make a statement with bold color changes
• April Kae - Musician, model and activist, April has had a challenging hair journey, but now rocks her natural curls and celebrates them with nourishing color and vibrant tones
• Cici Coleman - Cici is on a mission to empower women through her online coaching and likes to keep her signature blonde bright with multi-dimensional tones
• Caroline Tucker - Caroline began coloring her hair at a young age and has experimented with a variety of different hair colors, but has always felt the most herself with a shade of red
• Nush Cope - as a mom of two, Nush is taking some time to experiment again with her hair colour to find out what look suits her and makes her feel her best in this new role
• Sheen Fatemi - Sheen sees her hair as an extension of her style and has found experimenting with her color liberating
• Stacey Dooley - Stacey is a trailblazing broadcast journalist, famed for her fiery auburn shade which she colors to enhance its vibrancy

“Each of these real women represents a connection to the modern Clairol woman in a way that is truly reflective of our ethos - authentic, self-reliant and unafraid to be one’s true self,” concludes Ms. Lotter. “It’s a new era for the brand and its community.”

It’s So Me highlights the beloved Clairol portfolio, including Nice’n Easy permanent hair color, which has been part of the brand’s product portfolio since the 1970s, along with new innovations for 2023 including: Natural Instincts Bold, Blonde It Up Crystal Glow Toners, and Root Touch Up Spray 2-in-1. The new products address gaps in the current market including the upkeep of color between salon appointments, blonde hair maintenance at home, and bolder shades for color explorers.

• It’s So Me will be amplified with paid support across online video, social media, influencers, audio and TV advertising in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
• In the United States, Clairol recently announced a partnership with Amazon Prime Video for the new TV series Daisy Jones & The Six, based on the book by the same name, which features a host of envious hair looks consumers can recreate at home using Clairol shades. The partnership was chosen for its connection to Clairol’s trailblazing history and has been amplified via creative inspired by vintage 70’s Clairol ads from the Daisy era, driven by paid media, alongside a robust influencer program and earned media.
• The brand’s Amazon Prime partnership comes off the cuff of another culturally relevant partnership in the United Kingdom, where Clairol is the presenting sponsor of Channel 4’s hit show, First Dates. The partnership celebrates the importance of finding a perfect match – be it in love or hair color, and features the well-known First Dates star Cici Coleman, who continues to collaborate with the brand through the It’s So Me campaign.
• Clairol’s website will also experience a makeover in celebration of It’s So Me. Serving as a new online hair coloring destination with a strong focus on education and inspiration, the new website will include at-home hair coloring how-to’s, trend led content created with color experts and will launch across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand in the weeks ahead.

For more information about Clairol and It’s So Me please visit https://www.clairol.com/ or follow us on TikTok and Instagram.

• It’s So Me will be amplified with paid support across online video, social media, influencers, audio and TV advertising in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
• In the United States, Clairol recently announced a partnership with Amazon Prime Video for the new TV series Daisy Jones & The Six, based on the book by the same name, which features a host of envious hair looks consumers can recreate at home using Clairol shades. The partnership was chosen for its connection to Clairol’s trailblazing history and has been amplified via creative inspired by vintage 70’s Clairol ads from the Daisy era, driven by paid media, alongside a robust influencer program and earned media.
• The brand’s Amazon Prime partnership comes off the cuff of another culturally relevant partnership in the United Kingdom, where Clairol is the presenting sponsor of Channel 4’s hit show, First Dates. The partnership celebrates the importance of finding a perfect match – be it in love or hair color, and features the well-known First Dates star Cici Coleman, who continues to collaborate with the brand through the It’s So Me campaign.
• Clairol’s website will also experience a makeover in celebration of It’s So Me. Serving as a new online hair coloring destination with a strong focus on education and inspiration, the new website will include at-home hair coloring how-to’s, trend led content created with color experts and will launch across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand in the weeks ahead.

For more information about Clairol and It’s So Me please visit https://www.clairol.com/ or follow us on TikTok and Instagram.

Wella Company is an innovative global leader in the beauty industry that combines 140+ years of earned wisdom and industry experience with the momentum of a newly minted independent entity. Now marking two years as a standalone company, Wella Company is one of the fastest-growing beauty companies in the sector. The company has a portfolio of iconic professional and retail hair, nail, and beauty tech brands including Wella Professionals, O·P·I, ghd, Briogeo, Nioxin, Sebastian Professional, and Clairol. The company serves legions of artists and owners across the professional hair and nail community in more than 100 countries. Each day, a diverse community of more than 91 million beauty lovers and industry professionals, social influencers, ambassadors, followers, employees, and customers engage with and are impacted by Wella Company products across the globe. With the belief that business can be a catalyst for positive change, Wella Company acts to enable people, organizations, and societies to collectively prosper. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is at the core of Wella Company’s purpose-led agenda. Sustainability and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are fundamental to who we are, how we operate and how we support the industry and communities we serve. Wella Company is building the best beauty company in the industry, ensuring that when the industry thrives, we thrive. And as we make progress on our agenda to care for our planet and leave a positive impact on society, we will become a champion for change whose legacy will be worthy of our iconic history. For more information on Wella Company, visit www.wellacompany.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Creative: Badger Agency

Communications: Praytell Agency

Media: Zenith Media Agency