In 2020 Head & Shoulders (H&S) occupied a small share of the Japanese haircare market. The brand was positioned not as a specialized anti-dandruff (AD) agent, but instead, as a generic shampoo and conditioner with a proposition focusing on attributes like “shiny, bouncy hair” or “healthy scalp”.

This meant that H&S was, at the time, competing against the entire haircare market in Japan, (including male and female audiences) amongst major brands like Pantene and Shiseido.

With the launch of a new product line, H&S scalp, H&S wanted to reposition its whole brand image and product portfolio towards a male audience suffering from dandruff, by clearly communicating its AD properties. This would mean carving out a more distinct space in the category and limiting its competitors within the hair care market to only a few niche brands that were also positioned solely for the male demographic with its home-use AD solutions.

This is a series of films where we explore Ando, a suave spy, in his dealings with dandruff.

In the first film, The Chase, Ando is chased around the world by his nemesis, Detective Takashi. No matter the trick he pulls off to escape, he is always found. Eventually cornered, Ando discovers the reason why: he’s been leaving a trail of dandruff everywhere he goes.

In the sequel, Winter Rescue, we journey back to Ando’s past to meet his mentor, Jiro. The duo infiltrates an enemy stronghold to retrieve an important briefcase. On their way out, Jiro’s dandruff ignites the alarm in a room of lasers, setting off a chain of disastrous consequences.

In shorter formats, The Presentation and The Proposal, we show Ando rescuing men who are about to engage in an important moment in their lives with hair full of dandruff, helping them clear it up first.