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Case Study: VO5 Extreme Style – Revolutionising the Men’s Styling Segment with VO5

I worked with partners at ACP media to develop an integrated tactical campaign comprising of sampling, digital and traditional media and activation driving +18.8% value growth vs YA.

Situation

In 2010, the men’s styling segment faced challenges with low market penetration, particularly with products not perceived as everyday essentials. VO5 Extreme Style aimed to seize the opportunity to elevate the brand to the top position within this competitive landscape.

Goal

The primary objective was clear: position VO5 Extreme Style as the leading men’s styling brand by the end of 2011. With a strategic partnership with ACP magazines I briefed and rolled out this integrated tactical campaign which was based on the rise of the popular dating show the Bachelor.

The Strategy: ‘Boy Meets Girl’ Extreme Dating Promotion

Magazine Campaign:

  • Dual Approach: Deployed promotional double-page spreads (DPS) and brand advertorials across both mass appeal (Women’s Day) and targeted publications (FHM, Cleo), leveraging their respective audiences to maximise reach and engagement.

Digital Engagement:

  • Online Presence: Utilised digital platforms to provide product information and facilitate contest entries. Engaged the audience through dynamic Facebook updates to sustain interest and participation in the promotion.

Sampling Initiatives:

  • Retail Activation: Collaborated with JeansWest stores to encourage contest participation and trial of the VO5 range, leveraging JeansWest’s brand appeal to enhance VO5’s cool and relevance factor among the target demographic 18-35 year old males.

Radio Campaign:

  • On-Air Promotions: Conducted on-air giveaways and dispatched “ZM Thunder” vehicles to sample VO5 products in high-traffic areas, bolstering brand visibility and consumer engagement.

Grand Finale Event:

  • Culminating Celebration: Hosted an exclusive VO5 Extreme/FHM party to honor the top 10 contest finalists and winners of exclusive tickets to the event, creating a memorable and aspirational experience that reinforced brand loyalty and advocacy.

Results

The implementation of the ‘Boy Meets Girl’ Extreme Dating Promotion yielded significant results:

  • Market Turnaround: Successfully reversed the styling segment’s decline from -5.5% year-on-year to a positive growth of +2.6%.
  • VO5 Extreme Style Growth: Specifically, VO5 Extreme Style achieved remarkable growth, soaring by +18.8% value sales vs prior year.

Conclusion

The VO5 Extreme Style campaign exemplifies the transformative power of strategic marketing initiatives in revitalising market perception and driving substantial growth.

By strategically aligning with popular media channels and retail stores for this demographic, leveraging digital platforms for widespread engagement, and orchestrating memorable experiential events, VO5 not only captured consumer attention but also solidified its position as the top men’s styling brand.

This case study underscores the effectiveness of innovative promotional strategies in reshaping market dynamics and achieving ambitious brand objectives within competitive landscapes with limited budgets.

ATL Print and Digital campaign assets