Social and Influencer > Culture & Context

THE PRINCESS AND THE CROWN

SOKO, Sao Paulo / SUNSILK / 2024

Awards:

Bronze Cannes Lions
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Overview

Credits

Overview

Why is this work relevant for Social & Influencer?

"The Princess and The Crown" harnessed social media and influencers to foster structural changes. With 988 million organic views and 33 million interactions, it leveraged UGC and collaborations to amplify its message of empowerment and inclusivity. The campaign centered on user-generated duets with our commercial, inspired by Tiana freeing her curly hair. 37,000 influencers and users embraced this narrative, reflecting its intent to inspire curly-haired girls, who often tie their curls due to racism. By fostering community engagement, we catalyzed meaningful conversations and strengthened brand loyalty, showcasing the power of social and influencer marketing in driving social impact.

Please provide any cultural context that would help the Jury understand any cultural, national or regional nuances applicable to this work.

In Brazil, where over 56% of the population identifies as Black, the representation in mainstream media starkly contrasts with this demographic reality. Particularly in children's content, where European beauty standards have historically dominated, only about 5% of characters reflect the diversity of the Brazilian population. This significant disparity impacts Afro-Brazilian children, who rarely see themselves in the stories that form a critical part of their cultural and personal development. Especially with their hair down, once racism pushes little girls to tie their curls up.

In partnership with Disney, Seda‘s "The Princess and the Crown" was launched in this cultural and national context, aiming to bridge the representation gap. It was a timely initiative, resonating with the global movements for racial equality and inclusivity, providing a platform for underrepresented voices and stories, and also timeless because it changed forever the whole Tiana franchise. This campaign not only sought to adjust the narrative within children's media but also to affirm the beauty and diversity of all hair types, particularly curly hair, which is a distinctive feature of Afro-Brazilian heritage.

Highlighting the cultural dissonance between Brazil's rich racial diversity and its media representation, the campaign was a bold move towards inclusivity. By showcasing Princess Tiana with her hair down, Seda addressed a heartfelt need for representation that echoes the cultural, social, and racial nuances of Brazilian society. This initiative was not just about changing an image; it was about challenging societal norms and fostering a more inclusive culture that celebrates diversity.

Background

In Brazil, with over 56% of the population identifying as Black, there's a disparity in children's media representation, underscoring a societal divide. This issue impacts the self-esteem of Afro-Brazilian girls, seeing few characters like them. Seda embarked on a strategic campaign to challenge entrenched beauty norms and compete in a market dominated by Johnson's, a competitor with a marketing budget 10 times larger than Seda's.

The campaign's brief was to navigate these market dynamics and societal challenges, aiming to carve out a significant presence for Seda's new product line targeted at girls with curly hair. Despite the budgetary disparity, the strategy was to leverage a narrative that could generate substantial earned media, focusing on broadening the dialogue around representation and inclusivity. This approach was crucial for Seda, aiming to penetrate a competitive market by fostering a shift in societal perceptions and affirming its commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Describe the creative idea

The creative idea behind our campaign was meticulously crafted over six months in collaboration with Disney's Tiana official animators. Together, we developed a powerful 10-second scene featuring Princess Tiana, designed to inspire girls across Brazil to embrace their natural curls. For the very first time, she was seen wearing her hair as a crown, inspired by her ancestry. This scene, embedded within our commercial, served as a beacon of empowerment and authenticity. By leveraging the widespread influence of social media platforms like TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts, we encouraged users to participate in the movement by creating duets with our commercial. This approach aimed to amplify the campaign's impact, fostering a viral trend of girls proudly showcasing their crowns. Through the combination of innovative storytelling, strategic partnerships, and user engagement, our creative idea transcended traditional marketing boundaries, igniting a powerful cultural conversation and empowering girls with curly hair.

Describe the strategy

Our strategy capitalized on the popularity of duets on social media, especially among Gen Z users. Recognizing this trend, we crafted the scene of Tiana in the commercial releasing her curls specifically to facilitate duet participation. The music, the brief 10-second duration, and Tiana's action of initially holding her hair with her hands before letting it loose were all meticulously designed to encourage easy replication for any girl with curly hair. By aligning our creative approach with the prevailing user behavior, we ensured that the campaign seamlessly integrated into the social media landscape, fostering widespread engagement and participation. This strategy not only empowered individuals to embrace their natural beauty, but also leveraged the inherent virality of duet formats to amplify our message organically across various social platforms.

Describe the execution

Our first execution on social media was centered around organically engaging influencers and users on various social media platforms. Leveraging the impactful narrative of Princess Tiana's pivotal moment in our commercial, we orchestrated a multifaceted approach to capitalize on cultural relevance. This involved a coordinated event launch, premiering the commercial simultaneously on social media profiles dedicated to Tiana and Disney, alongside our brand's channels. Additionally, we strategically invited influencers and users passionate about representation and empowerment for the event, fostering organic engagement and user-generated content. The influencers dueted organically with our commercial, igniting a trend. By aligning our messaging with audience interests and tapping into existing fan communities, we sparked widespread conversation and movement around diversity and self-acceptance.

List the results

"The Princess and The Crown" set a new standard in diversity marketing, achieving remarkable visibility and engagement. With 988 million organic views and 1.38 billion impressions, it captivated global audiences. Released strategically to Tiana-focused social profiles and with a targeted influencer event, it inspired +5,000 influencers, demonstrating its widespread impact.

This initiative drove 33 million organic interactions online, showcasing strong audience engagement and the campaign's success in fostering a diverse, beauty-centric community. With 92% positive feedback, it resonated deeply with themes of self-esteem and representation.

The campaign propelled Seda to its highest brand power in Brazil, exceeding media expectations and sparking discussions in over 37,000 publications. This bolstered visibility and commitment to diversity. Notably, it also resulted in +29% sales volume in just 3 months.

The campaign boosted Seda's visibility and diversity commitment, a new standard in impactful marketing, showcasing how inclusivity drives brand growth.

Please tell us about the social behaviour and cultural insight that inspired the work.

The campaign was inspired by the stark lack of representation in children's media, where only 5% of characters are Black despite 56% of Brazil's population being Black. Recognizing this disparity, the campaign strategically incorporated a duet-friendly scene featuring Princess Tiana with her natural hair. This decision was informed by the insight that duets are among the top three formats used by Gen Z on TikTok in Brazil. By addressing the cultural insight of underrepresentation and leveraging social behavior trends, the campaign aimed to initiate a dialogue and inspire action. Partnering with Disney Brazil and Walt Disney World, the campaign ensured authenticity and resonance with the Brazilian audience, fostering meaningful engagement and participation. Through this approach, the campaign not only raised awareness of representation issues but also empowered individuals to contribute to a more inclusive entertainment landscape.

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