Suave Shows Power of Packaging With Millennial-Targeted Prank
When it comes to shopping for beauty slash self-care products, we tend to weigh quite a few factors: price, packaging, and overall branding, for instance, are three things we take into consideration before cashing in on a new shampoo or lipstick. But, did you know that 7 in 10 millennial women believe that premium or high-end brands are more trustworthy than value or drugstore? And did you know that 89% of them reportedly wish there were more "low-end" brands that didn't sacrifice quality? It's true. But here's a question for you — when purchasing from the drugstore versus say, Sephora or a department store, how can you be totally certain a product won't be just as high-quality as one with a heftier price tag? The thing is, it's often hard to tell — especially without reviews from a blogger or beauty guru we trust.
If you're wondering, the aforementioned findings come from research results of a survey conducted by Suave, the classic drugstore haircare brand you've seen lining the shelves at CVS for what feels like forever. Why the survey? Suave decided to do something no haircare brand has done before. In a brand-new campaign, Suave went undercover as a luxury brand called evaus — yes, that's "Suave" spelled backwards — specifically targeting millennial beauty influencers and giving them the chance to test-drive five totally "new" collections of beautifully packaged hair products. Sneaky, no?
In a video Suave shot for the campaign, said influencers weighed in with their opinions on the new hair offerings, saying things like, "these were game-changing," "I instantly fell in love with these products," and "they left my hair so strong and healthy." Sounds like all things quality products would do, if you ask us.
Related: The 5 Best Drugstore Hair Products, According to Reddit
Finally, during a casting call for the initiative, the brand revealed to the women that they had been using Suave the whole time — thus proving that all in all, it really is what's inside the bottle that counts. Needless to say, their reactions were priceless, ranging from completely shocked to elated that they found an affordable hair brand that doesn't sacrifice quality. "I thought I was using this really exclusive shampoo — little did I know you could find this anywhere," one of the women mused.
And while some stylists live and die for their premium brands (see: wouldn't be caught dead using a drugstore shampoo on a client), there are some that realize a products' price tag isn't the end-all-be-all when it comes to how well they work. "My advice for shopping for a hair product is don't judge a book by its cover," said Suave Professionals Celebrity Stylist, Jenny Cho when asked about the campaign. "I feel like in this case, you get WAY more for what you pay for and feel smart about it."
Jenny is one of what seems like few hairstylists that believe in the integrity and efficacy of drugstore brands. "I believe in being smart and savvy — if you use something every day and it works for you, like the Suave Professionals line that is used by hair professionals, why not save money and splurge on a good haircut, hair tools, or a brush?"
We have to admit, everything she's saying makes perfect sense. While factors like packaging and brand message are important, too, this just goes to show that any brand, drugstore or prestige, can spend their money on marketing and aesthetic — though not all of them are going to do great things to your mane. Suave proved once and for all that it can do both, but when it comes down to it, it's what's on the inside that truly counts.
Check out the video here, which Suave made especially for this campaign launching today (April 19).
This story originally appeared on Teen Vogue.
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