Our challenge was to launch the new H&S Soothing Care shampoo in a way that not only raised awareness but also rebranded H&S as a 'cool' and desirable brand for young men. We needed to break through the traditional image of H&S as "old-fashioned and boring" and make it resonate with our target audience of men aged 16-35.

The target demographic—men between 16-35—prides themselves on being independent thinkers who are often skeptical of conventional advertising. They are more likely to engage with content that entertains and speaks their language rather than straightforward sales messages. Given the perception of H&S as a dated brand, we realized that the key to connecting with this audience was to infuse the campaign with humor and creativity that aligned with their lifestyle.

We decided to leverage a well-known local saying, "Başımı qaşımağa vaxtım yoxdur" (too busy to scratch my head or 'busy as a beaver'), as a way to engage our audience in a fun and relatable manner. We invited them to participate in a video contest where they could showcase why they didn’t have time—or the opportunity—to scratch their heads. The reasons didn't need to be realistic; in fact, the funnier and more exaggerated, the better. To make the contest even more appealing, we offered prizes that would resonate with our male audience. The top prize was a humorous and memorable experience—having their heads publicly 'scratched' by Roya, a local celebrity often likened to Rihanna. This 'scratching' took the form of a public head-washing with H&S in the largest shopping mall, ensuring fun and brand visibility. Additionally, a cash prize was included to incentivize participation further. The campaign took off, with over 700 videos submitted in just five weeks. It created a buzz online, attracting 158,000 unique visitors to our campaign website, basimisiqasi.az, and generating over 20,000 shares on Facebook. The successful blend of humor, local culture, and interactive engagement not only increased brand awareness but also successfully repositioned H&S as a cool, modern brand for young men.