As Sunsilk lost its emotional empathy with its target audience, we needed to convince our consumers that we put them first and foremost. We uncovered a universal human truth that was true across the different countries while respecting the different cultural nuances that the brand has been built upon.

We discovered there was a need for self-expression. Though the circumstances differed, our consumer felt the need to define her identity in a changing environment. She needed to balance her own modern aspirations with the traditional expectations for herself.

Our creative idea therefore was to use Sunsilk as a platform for her to "write her own story". We developed a strategy that empowered her to take charge and choose the brand that complements her lifestyle.

This creative idea was also in line with Unilever’s corporate global campaign, #unstereotype, where they vowed to lead advertising away from stereotypical portrayals of gender.

A customised brand identity that brings to life the new brand concept of “Write your own story”.

The brand logotype was simplified and encapsulated in a circle for reinforced branding. It was designed to be colourful and playful amidst clear typography, ensuring iconic visibility across product platforms. The Co-Creator was repositioned to support the brand’s friendly character and expertise with personalised “autographs”.

The packaging design followed a variant-led strategy for personalised branding. Vibrant colours and graphics on pack changed to reflect each product benefit. By moving away from a brand-led strategy, our consumers had the opportunity to express their individuality.

The bottle structure was customised to fit the new brand positioning. Curves were implemented to reinforce the femininity and also the “S” for Sunsilk, increasing emotional empathy.

These design elements were applied on 15 product formats across 5 regions of 70 countries, totalling up to more than 800 artwork productions.

Sunsilk became the benchmark on how to drive growth and profitability without compromising on its sustainability objectives. Its new technology offered consumers great product quality and brand experience, narrowing the credibility gap. This has led to:

- 15 million Facebook fans globally

- 96% of consumers loved the new brand identity

- New packaging structure saves 5000 tonnes of plastic

- Reduce complexity by half- from 10 to 4 caps, and from 44 to 22 bottles

- Significant key countries incremental turnover after 1 year; Brazil 4%, Argentina 54%, Thailand 7%

The success of the Sunsilk relaunch has helped drive Unilever’s personal care category, which has:

- Turnover of €20.2 billion in 2016

- Accounts for 38% of Unilever’s turnover

- 48% of operating profits

- Sales growth of 4.2% in 2016

- One of the brands that fulfills Unilever’s strategy to deliver competitive growth of core brands and premiumization