the proof
Save the Regular Guy: Consort Hair Care for Men
Consort is a no-nonsense hair product for men. It doesn't leave your hair stiff or sticky and it doesn't have a strong scent. The brand was born nearly 100 years ago and built its legacy in barbershops - becoming one of the premier hair sprays for guys. Over the years, Consort gave way to a new brand of hair products featuring new fragrances, multiple levels of hold and non-aerosol bottles. After several years of decreased sales, Consort looked to reconnect with men and resurrect its brand. The company turned to Caffeine Communications.
Strategy
Rally around Consort's buyer, the regular guy, and lead a movement to save him from extinction.
After competitive analysis and informal research with stakeholders, Caffeine realized there was a strong platform for rallying around the target customer - the regular guy. Buzz surrounding today's more modern and fashionable men, dubbed metrosexuals, led people to believe these guys were the new norm and that women preferred them. Caffeine believed otherwise and set out to prove it - and in the process build a case for Consort's new positioning.
Research was conducted and the results proved fruitful for Consort. Overwhelmingly, women preferred the regular guy over the metro man. Moreover, compelling data about today's metro man provided interesting fodder for a new campaign.
With metrosexuality beginning to take over and today's regular guy in danger of going away, Caffeine created "Save the Regular Guy." The edgy campaign was launched via national advertising and public relations that included a creative 3-D mailing, press release, research report, a Regular Guy Test and celebrity involvement. For Phase II, Caffeine mobilized its efforts to save the regular guy by sending teams of "Regulators" to beaches, bars, festivals and malls in major markets across the country. Phase II also featured "man-over" contests, in which metro men were transformed into regular guys.
Results
The campaign received media coverage across the country and brought thousands of target buyers face-to-face with the new, livelier Consort. Over the next year, the brand saw increased sales for the first time in five years. The brand continues to rally around its "for the regular guy" mantra to this day. The campaign also sparked a regular guy movement embraced by other leading "regular guy" brands today.
