Pantene unveils ‘mystery’ sample promotion as part of £9m revamp

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is circulating free samples of Pantene shampoo and conditioner through Boots stores as part of a £9m relaunch of the haircare range.

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is circulating free samples of Pantene shampoo and conditioner through Boots stores as part of a &£9m relaunch of the haircare range. The samples will be in unmarked sachets.

The sachets, which have no reference to Pantene on them, are part of a teaser campaign, created by Grey Worldwide and entitled: “What’s the secret of beautiful hair?”. The product will be revealed to consumers on March 7.

The &£9m relaunch, which will include a new formulation of Pantene, is thought to have been triggered by the threat from Unilever’s &£35m-plus investment in its new Dove haircare range (MW November 29, 2001).

P&G has also created a new website, www.youtryyoudecide.co.uk, to coincide with the launch. The website takes consumers through a questionnaire on the products and also gives them the chance to win &£250 worth of hair and beauty treatment at a London salon.

The Pantene relaunch will be P&G’s first major activity in the haircare market since the furore created by its spying on Unilever’s US haircare operations (MW September 13, 2001).

Earlier this year, P&G shifted its &£7.9m UK Clairol business out of Banks Hoggins O’Shea/FCB and into Grey Worldwide and Leo Burnett. The decision followed its acquisition of Clairol from Bristol-Myers Squibb. Grey now handles Clairol’s Nice ‘Easy, Natural Instincts, Hydrience and Ultress hair colour brands (MW January 24).