Key takeaways
- Pantene’s “Unexpired Pantene” marketing campaign was born out of Alix Earle’s viral TikTok submit about utilizing expired Pantene merchandise, turning an informal endorsement into a serious advertising and marketing alternative.
- The marketing campaign reached over 230 million impressions, reaching 143% above the common dwell time for TikTok video games, due to Alix’s real endorsement and TikTok’s viral nature.
- Pantene created a limited-edition assortment that drove urgency by a 24-hour sweepstakes, leveraging influencer endorsements, UGC, and real-time social media updates.
- The success of the marketing campaign ties into the broader pattern of inexpensive, drugstore hair care merchandise gaining recognition, notably amongst Gen Z, who’re more and more turning to social media for product suggestions.
- Pantene demonstrated how shortly reacting to viral content material and creating unique, short-lived campaigns can foster engagement, relevance, and deeper connections with a target market.
Pantene’s newest marketing campaign, “Unexpired Pantene,” showcases a masterclass in how manufacturers can leverage natural influencer content material to drive main engagement and gross sales. Born from a viral TikTok submit by Alix Earle, the marketing campaign highlights the ability of well timed responses to viral moments and the power to show a real social media interplay right into a full-fledged advertising and marketing success.
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The Viral Spark: Alix Earle’s Genuine TikTok Submit
In December 2024, Alix Earle, a Miami-based influencer, posted a easy but relatable TikTok video concerning the hair care model Pantene. The video featured Earle raving about how an expired bottle of Pantene shampoo, present in her household’s bathe, made her hair really feel softer than ever.
It was an informal, unfiltered take that shortly resonated together with her viewers, garnering over 7 million views and 600,000 likes. The video tapped into the continuing dialog concerning the effectiveness of drugstore hair merchandise and the rising pattern of customers questioning the worth of premium manufacturers.
@alixearle
Seeing my hair that lengthy & wholesome makes me sick .. id do something
The important thing takeaway right here is how Earle’s natural, real endorsement was genuine sufficient to spark widespread discussions about Pantene’s affordability and effectiveness. This wasn’t a paid promotion—simply an influencer sharing a relatable expertise, which made the marketing campaign really feel genuine and reliable, essential elements when advertising and marketing to fashionable, savvy shoppers.
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Pantene’s Fast Response: Turning a Viral Second right into a Marketing campaign
Somewhat than letting this viral second cross by, Pantene acted swiftly to capitalize on the excitement generated by Earle’s TikTok submit. Inside weeks, the model turned the dialog right into a limited-edition product assortment. Pantene labored carefully with Earle to create the “Unexpired Pantene” assortment, which was designed to reflect the nostalgic, but elevated feeling related to the viral TikTok submit.
Pantene used a 24-hour sweepstakes to drive urgency and exclusivity, additional enhancing the product’s enchantment. The sweepstakes went reside on April 30, 2025, coinciding with a strategic push to coincide with Ramadan’s excessive engagement interval on social media. This transfer not solely added a component of FOMO but in addition made the product really feel particular, nearly like a collector’s merchandise that followers needed to act shortly to get their arms on.
Influencers, UGC, and Cross-Platform Engagement: A Profitable Mixture
Pantene didn’t cease at simply leveraging Earle’s affect. The model tapped into the wider influencer group to amplify the marketing campaign. Creators like Madison Harwell and Jaelyn Kay joined the hassle by showcasing the limited-edition merchandise and pushing further user-generated content (UGC) that additional promoted the gathering. These creators have been chosen strategically for his or her means to resonate with Pantene’s core viewers, serving to to strengthen the authenticity of the marketing campaign.
@madison.harwell can’t wait to replace after I attempt!! 🤍🤍 @Pantene Professional-V @Alix Earle #giftedbypantene #unexpiredpantene ♬ original sound – madison.harwell
The model additionally took to billboards in Instances Sq. and The Oculus in New York Metropolis to increase its attain. This mix of digital and conventional media helped elevate Pantene’s visibility and strengthened its presence in key shopper touchpoints, notably throughout a heavy-traffic interval.
Furthermore, Pantene’s strategic use of TikTok and Instagram allowed it to faucet into the platforms the place its goal demographic was most lively. Actual-time updates on these platforms saved the dialog going and sustained momentum all through the marketing campaign.
The Greater Image: Embracing the Drugstore Hair Care Renaissance
Pantene’s “Unexpired Pantene” marketing campaign comes at a time when inexpensive hair care merchandise are experiencing a resurgence in recognition, thanks partly to social media. Gen Z and millennials are more and more looking for worth with out compromising on high quality, making manufacturers like Pantene a viable possibility in opposition to premium rivals.
Pantene has efficiently positioned itself as a trusted and inexpensive model that aligns with the wishes of its viewers.
This shift is clear in how Pantene has embraced affordability and authenticity in its advertising and marketing, offering merchandise that not solely ship high quality but in addition align with the social consciousness of at present’s shoppers. The marketing campaign isn’t nearly hair care; it’s about being a part of a dialog that resonates with culturally conscious and digitally native audiences.
The Energy of Natural Moments and Strategic Partnerships
Pantene’s means to take a viral, genuine TikTok submit and switch it right into a limited-edition product launch demonstrates the ability of natural content material in driving model engagement. By collaborating with Alix Earle and tapping into the rising pattern of inexpensive luxurious, Pantene created a advertising and marketing marketing campaign that was each relatable and aspirational.
For manufacturers trying to have interaction with youthful, digitally savvy shoppers, Pantene’s success exhibits how leveraging real-time social media moments and influencer partnerships can generate a marketing campaign that feels natural and real.
This sort of strategic advertising and marketing strategy isn’t nearly selling a product—it’s about being half of a bigger cultural dialog that captures the hearts and a spotlight of at present’s shoppers.
