GILLETTE RAZORS POWERED BY STARK INDUSTRIES

The campaign launched with a Stark Industries takeover of the Gillette World Shave Headquarters. Media attended the event where Gillette’s CEO and “Stark Industries Representatives” announced the partnership alongside Stan Lee (creator of the Avengers comics).

We created four fictional prototype razors inspired by Avengers characters: the Gillette UltraStrike (Captain America), the Gillette Thunder (Thor), the Repulsor1 (Iron Man), and the Gillette Gamma XL (Hulk). Each razor was given character-specific qualities, captivating Avengers fans’ attention. For example, the UltraStrike was “rebuilt with super-soldier technology” and contained a “rare vibranium-coated shield cartridge that shoots from the handle with singular focus.”

The razors came to life on YouTube through our “Innovation Film”, a short video showcasing the tech of each razor in-depth. We also “leaked” blueprints for each prototype, containing hidden Avengers jokes in the details and giving fans additional content to examine and consume.

TARGETED MEDIA DROVE FANBOYS WILD

The campaign launched with an exclusive, live “Stark Industries takeover” of Gillette Headquarters in Boston, where we invited comic book bloggers and media to attend the prototype unveiling.

Social posts from Gillette, Avengers, Marvel, and Stan Lee himself drove Fanboys to our “Innovation Film” on YouTube and showcased blueprints of each prototype, which offered a closer look into the details of each Stark Industries razor and hid inside jokes from the Avengers franchise.

Our social strategy was boosted by robust pre-roll and cinema buys, driving audiences to YouTube to view the campaign films. From YouTube, consumers could visit a custom-designed Avengers+Gillette microsite on Gillette.com, showcasing the technology of each Avengers-inspired razor.

In addition, we placed key homepage takeovers on multiple gaming and film publishers such as Fandango, Hitfix, Hulu, and IGN, and used Twitch gaming broadcast and Xbox connected TV partners to amplify campaign content.

MOST SHARED CONTENT IN BRAND HISTORY

The campaign was an overwhelming success, allowing the brand acknowledge and join in on the joke of over-innovation.

Blurring lines between reality and fiction, we created a completely unreal, wildly imaginative product line, but revealed it so that it felt tangible for consumers, making even the strongest cynics double take. The razor blueprints, leaked focus groups, “Innovation Film” and press conference all "punk’d" consumers into paying attention, and created a reason for millennials to fall in love with Gillette’s innovation obsession once again.

RESULTS

• “Innovation Film” ranked #8 on YouTube ad leaderboard, April 2015

• “Innovation Film” received more organic views than the entire Gillette YouTube channel in 2014

o 20.7MM views in first six weeks

• Sales of Flexball Systems (Razor + Cartridge) up 17% from year prior (May 2014)

• Increased brand Relevance (+12%) and Likeability (+11%) among 18-34 year olds aware of the partnership