Our deep dive into guys today began prior to the global #metoo movement and mad-dash of men’s brands distancing themselves from outdated toxic masculinity.

But the idea of ‘taking care of myself’ had very naturally opened up many conversations about what it meant to be a good guy today… and how they defined the modern pillars of masculinity.

If expressed through outdated masculine tropes or unrealistic hipstagram perfection, one thing was certain––being too cool to care or too cool for school was unproductive, unimpressive and unrealistic.

Even as cultural conversations were swirling around us throughout the creative development process, we were re-assured that our idea of ‘Radical Acceptance’ held up and importantly felt absolutely in keeping with the honesty everyone needed to see more of today––brought to life with the comic relief DSC had always been known for.

From day one, Mike Dubin created a company that had guys backs.

Through our work it was clear, the brand was primed to nail a higher order purpose linked directly to that desire.

‘Radical Acceptance’ was the crux of our idea.

Positioning DSC as the only club that accepts guys wherever they are, however they are… butt sweat, nose hair, pit stains and all. This killer insight helped guide the in-house creative team to develop a new brand anthem.

In July 2018, ‘Get Ready’ let us all peek in during bath time, ball shaving, nose hair trimming and general––humbling and hilarious––secret bathroom behavior.

Depicting real stories of real men (and women!) while smartly highlighting an entire portfolio of products beyond razors.

Real scenarios we heard about for months were beautifully set to the infectious track, ‘I’ve Got To Be Me’ that had viewers humming along immediately.

We would not blindly reshape this wildly successful brand. Evolution would come from deeply understanding what modern guys need.

We needed to know what it would take for guys to feel like a million bucks.

So we entered bathrooms, bedrooms, locker rooms, glove compartments and gym bags all over America – exploring guys stressors, habits, desires and quirks.

Mobile ethnography, in-depth interviewing and co-creating happened with construction workers, tech bros, barbers and business men. We even visited Tokyo to explore every aspect of selfcare––from mindful meditation, to the ancient art of onsen bathing (yeah… we got naked.)

No matter who we met, where they were or how polished they seemed, vulnerability was always creeping in.

Interestingly, semiotics revealed this was almost never reflected in category messaging.

Guy after guy admitted desperately wanting to take better care of themselves but had no guidebook. The old shit, shower, shave routine was laughably lacking; and no one was leading a more evolved and realistic charge.

Feeling like a million bucks wasn’t their goal. They wanted a hundred buck version of their real selves.

During a brand bootcamp workshop between the DSC and our teams, we had our breakthrough.

Even George Clooney farts.

‘Get Ready’ ignited fresh buzz for a brand that had always sparked conversations.

The radical authenticity of the moments and characters drove organic social conversation, aligning precisely with communication objectives, highlighted inclusivity, the state of vulnerability in the bathroom and much needed normalization of sharing and seeking advice.

- Within 6 weeks, we reached nearly 4 million views (3,980,363) between YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram TV.

- Facebook sentiment measured 88.3% positive/neutral.

- YouTube pre-roll, averaged 97% of the content viewed (:27 of :30) and a 74% video view-thru-rate.

- Within Hulu, the ad resulted in a 9.5 PP shift in aided brand awareness, 22.6 PP shift in ad awareness, and 9.9 PP shift in consideration intent, all smashing CPG benchmarks of 3.5, 5.2, and 2.5 respectively.

Importantly this work gave DSC a fresh start, boldly depicting modern masculinity in a way that reflects guys everyday reality and truth.