The Brand
In the luxury hair care category, Kérastase has no peer. With an undeniable heritage behind it—they actually invented luxury hair care in the 1960s—the brand makes elite Parisian beauty rituals a reality in salons and homes around the world. With the launch of the Curl Manifesto range in the spring of 2021, the company began a worldwide initiative toward inclusive luxury care for women with all hair textures.
The Task
Some movements happen slowly, and then all at once. It’s that type of bubbling, explosive energy that fueled a hair texture revolution around the world in the last decade. It used to be that many women chose to straighten their hair. But that’s clearly changing. On runways, in movies, on social media and in the streets of cities on all continents, more and more women are wearing their curls and coils with pride, like a crown.
Answering the Curl Call
Kérastase responded to the movement with Curl Manifesto, a luxury curl care range that addresses the desires of women with curly, very curly or coily hair. After 12 months of listening to curly haired women around the world, the brand drew on the expertise of high-profile hairdressers and hair scientists to create a line of moisturizing, nourishing curl care, launched alongside an ambitious set of educational initiatives for salons and stylists around the world.
The Making of the Message
Our challenge was to present Curl Manifesto from a place of cultural sensitivity and humility, while still asserting confidence around Kérastase’s unique qualifications for creating the very best luxury care for curls. We boldly chose to address the historic narrative of segregation and exclusivity in the professional hair industry by replacing it with a message of equality and empowerment for all women.
The Execution
We began by poring over months of market research revealing women’s challenges and desires around curl care. Often, they were offered straightening treatments, or sold products that were wrong for their hair type. We recognized how emotionally damaging it can be to live in a culture that constantly says that your hair is not beautiful as it grows, that you need to change something about yourself to be considered beautiful.
But Kérastase decided it is society that needs to change, and that the hair industry is a good place to start. So we combined our new insight around the history of curl care and our deep knowledge of the Kérastase brand ethos to build a powerful verbal world around the politically charged topic of hair texture. First, we created a glossary of terms. Common beliefs about texture are rooted in cultural ignorance, or just biologically incorrect. Once we got our facts and language right, we used it to create a message of empowerment around curls: MANIFEST YOUR GREATNESS
We wanted women to feel a sense of pride around their curls, to think of them as a crown that brings with it power and beauty. We applied the message to a campaign that included a comprehensive press kit, editorial content for consumers and a new training initiative for hair professionals. The goal is to revolutionize the industry from the inside out, and create a world where everyone can be proud of the hair they have.
The Deliverables
Product Knowledge
Introducing Curl Manifesto
Packed with fine ingredients like manuka honey and ceramides, the Curl Manifesto range is a modular solution to the unique needs of curly hair. Curly hair tends to be dry and brittle, but most nurturing hair products break up the curl pattern. Curl Manifesto product copy answers to the desire for intense hydration without weight, leading to nourished, defined curls that resist frizz.
Editorial Content
All About Curls
Education around curl care is crucial to the success of Curl Manifesto. Many consumers do not know what their curly hair needs to thrive beautifully. With a focus on curl type (the shape of the curl and its tightness) consumers can learn more about the nature and structure of their hair and discover exactly which product combination will produce the best results.
Press Kit
Destined for Greatness
More than for any other hair care line, the messaging around Curl Manifesto had to be just right. Political considerations, compounded by the special expertise required for curly hair, made this a crucial moment in the history of the Kérastase heritage. We collaborated on content a 12-page document that introduced every aspect of Curl Manifesto, including the culture and science behind its creation.