2015 Bronze FMCG

TMW Unlimited

Lynx-Unilever

Black Space

The Team
Jeff Bowerman, Lorena Teruel, Rob Sindermann, Emma Norman, Kathryn Bryan, Ben Good, Ruby Fard, Niko Dafkos

Campaign overview

Lynx had an image problem. Its audience had grown up and now it needed to grow up too.

By introducing a new understated grooming range, Lynx Black, with a more mature proposition and approach, the campaign made Lynx relevant to guys in the UK once more, as evidenced by widespread positive publicity and social media attention.

Strategy

To regain relevance to men in their early twenties, Lynx abandoned its traditional use of scantily clad girls and presented a more authentic lifestyle, embodied by the product range.

To bring this to life, the team opened a shop, Black Space. Nestled just off Brick Lane, Black Space was an urban escape from the noise of city life: a place for gigs, grooming, drinking, creativity, watching films and listening to inspiring talks, where guys could discover and reignite their passions in an authentic, stripped-back environment.

A mobile-first microsite delivered the what, why and where, providing a destination for digital display and search. Print ads promoted the space through GQ and FHM inserts, while a Shortlist cover wrap reached 600,000 Londoners. And around the shop, OOH proximity ads and proximity SMS drove further footfall.

Creativity

The creative presented Black Space as antidote to the noise and chaos of London.

For the launch event, key influencers were sent simple invitations and an icon of classic understated style – a simple black tee shirt. But this shirt had a trick up its sleeve: a unique Bluetooth chip sown into each. A bespoke iPad app tracked the influencers, ushered them into the event, ensured their favourite drink was ready for them and tweeted them thanks. Lynx stylists lined up personalised ASOS edits and Jack the Clipper cuts based on their Instagrams. Male anti-suicide charity CALM delivered a Modern Masculinity talk with Scroobius Pip and Rufus Hound, which was shared across social channels. Gigs were live-streamed through Periscope using a multi-angled camera, live window drawings were made by the Twitter audience and events were shaped to fit this new brand lifestyle.

Results

Lynx successfully built a new set of brand associations to support the Lynx Black launch.

The campaign received positive coverage from more premium publications than would usually have associated with Lynx, allowing the brand to work with more aspirational influencers.

More than 17,000 people visited Black Space and were immersed in the new grown-up Lynx, 70% of whom fitted the key target audience. Over 52 million social media impressions were generated, with the brand’s original video content attracting 2.55 million views and rising.

The Black Space activation also generated national reach, with 60% of social mentions coming from outside London.