TL;DR (A QUICK SUMMARY)

Nair faced declining trial driven by decades-old negative perceptions around scent and harshness. After reformulating its body creams with improved fragrances and cleaner ingredients, the brand needed to convince skeptical Gen Z and Millennial women to give it another chance. Dare to Smell Nair boldly challenged consumers to experience the glow-up for themselves, turning Nair’s biggest weakness into its most provocative proof point.

THE BRIEF

Background

After years of staying the same, Nair finally had real news to share. The brand addressed its biggest consumer complaints head-on by reformulating its body creams, revamping the scent experience with fragrances like coconut, vanilla, and lily, and removing dyes, parabens, sulfates, and phthalates from the formula.

This marked a major inflection point for the brand. But a reformulation alone wouldn’t change minds. We needed to ensure consumers noticed the change and believed it was worth a second chance.

Challenge

Trial among new and lapsed users was low, driven by poor word-of-mouth, negative reviews, and past experiences that stuck.

• 40% of consumers are dissatisfied with Nair’s scent

• 37% think it’s harmful to their skin

Target

Gen Z and Millennial women who are familiar with Nair or have tried it before. When they hear “Nair,” they immediately think of smell, chemicals, or a negative memory.

Assignment

Convince people to (re)try Nair’s new & improved formula.

Strategy

Tell the change story.

We believed the only way to overcome decades of negative perception was to acknowledge it, then prove it wrong.

Inspired by cultural comeback moments like Domino’s self-aware brand turnaround and Sha’Carri Richardson’s iconic wig-snatch before winning the 100m, we leaned into transformation. If Nair had undergone the ultimate glow-up, we wanted the world to see and smell it.

The Idea

Dare to Smell Nair

Instead of playing defense, we provoked consumers with a bold provocation.

Dare to Smell Nair invited people to confront their assumptions head-on, turning Nair’s most infamous flaw into a confident call to action. This wasn’t the Nair they remembered, it was a new, scentsational experience that demanded to be tried, not just talked about.

By immersing consumers in the new Nair and leading with self-awareness, we reframed skepticism as curiosity and gave people permission to give the brand another chance.

Results

• Just 3 months after the campaign launched the brand saw 4.9pts of share growth.

• +3.3% lift in consideration