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Introduction:
Street Dance The Search was a clean sheet of paper PR initiative that used every available communications tool from on-line, social media, blogging, search engine optimisation, one on one experiential to vast numbers – down to the humble press release to generate interest in high fashion hair colouring and styling products to a very specific audience. Fantastically successful it has lead to the UK branch of Schwarzkopf becoming the European Centre of Excellence for social media. It is also credited with increasing sales by up to 200%.
Follow the journey of each member of Atti2ude as they go through regional auditions, Grand Final performances, dance rehearsals, photoshoots and videoshoots.
Strategy – Getting the Look:
We wanted to build on the synergy between Street Dance; which stands for creativity, flair and attitude and our brands. Following market research we knew it resonated with our audience and we devised a national search strategy which would engage and inspire them. We created got2b XXL Street Dance The Search along with the UK’s largest street dance organisation UDO to find talented street dancers, across the nation, to compete for a place in our own street dance crew and become our brand ambassadors.
Method – Our Style, Our Moves, Our Method:
We conducted a nationwide search for talented amateur dancers to win the opportunity of a lifetime. We held four auditions at major shopping centres across the country in February and March 2011: Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent; Meadowhall Shopping Centre, Sheffield; The Trafford Centre, Manchester and The Bullring, Birmingham culminating in the Grand Final at KOKO, London. We launched the search to the trade beauty media and the national press and promoted each event in the associated regional press, through dance schools, UDO networks and through social media. In total we saw 137 auditionees and sent 37 finalists through to the final. Auditionees competed for the chance to win an intensive street dance apprenticeship including a got2b LIVE XXL makeover, a choreography masterclass with Sisco Gomez, photo and video shoot, a year’s supply of product, immediate entry into three major street dance competitions and a 6 month ambassador contract.
Social and traditional media were key through each stage of the campaign. Video footage from the regional auditions were fed onto our YouTube channel, those of our ‘celebrity’ judges Sisco, Tobias Mead and pro Street Dancers, Brook and Roxy, and traditional media’s social platforms leading to prolonged conversations. Each auditionee engaged and reengaged to their fans, friends and followers – the reciprocal exposure grew outside of our network spreading the campaign and brand messages to an ever-growing audience.
Media supported each regional heat and their local finalists. National and regional media embraced the search, supporting the live final through editorial and promotions. Partnerships and associations with model agencies, dance clubs and dance schools ensured a wider and targeted audience engagement through non-media routes.
The Grand Final @ Koko, Camden, showcased 37 finalists, each dancing for the judges to win their place in Atti2ude, Schwarzkopf’s street dance crew. The crew name ‘Atti2ude’ was chosen by fans on Facebook.
More than 700 guests attended on Sunday 10 April at Koko. Social media platforms closely reported on the day’s activities. Winner’s stories ran in national and regional press, radio and TV and celebrations and congratulations flooded our social channels.
The winners underwent an intensive bootcamp led by Sisco Gomez, learning new choreography for the winners’ videos and future showcase performances. The final touch was a full Schwarzkopf makeover before the final Atti2ude dance video and ‘story’ was filmed and released to the public. We consulted each member of the crew to give him or her a unique look that best represented the got2b and LIVE XXL brands, their individual personality and the new crew. Atti2ude were ready and on-brand.
The winners were filmed at each stage of their transformation into Atti2ude, and a final movie showing their journey from their first audition to filming their music video was produced and seeded online. Throughout the campaign, the video collateral proved essential. It introduced each auditionee, told the story of the search, showed the high and lows of each auditionees’ story, captured the thrill of the final, the joy of the winners and ultimately told the story of a brand reaching out in style to its target audience.
Update – Where are they now?
The crew are now fronting an advertorial and editorial campaign in an ambassadorial role for Schwarzkopf’s LIVE XXL and got2b brands. Coverage featured includes Mizz, Shout, Closer, Heat, More and Now magazines as well as stunning branded coverage on BBC regional news.
The crew are representing the brand in Street Dance championships across the UK, with recent and planned showcases at Street Dance International at The 02 (24 May),UDO Southern SD Championships in Reading (26 June) and UDO World Championships in Blackpool (26 August).
Watch The Schwarzkopf Atti2ude Street Dance Crew perform to “Levitate”.
Results – A Campaign with Attitude:
Testimonials:
“The campaign has been a huge success for us and has really inspired our core audience leading to a tremendous sales increase for both LIVE Color XXL and got2b – 200% in some stores. The original brief was a tough one. We wanted a concept which would communicate two brands to the same audience but with very different messages and we wanted full ownership, not just a tag on a sponsorship deal. We really believe Mason Williams’ campaign delivered this for us – and so do our international peers. So much so that plans are afoot to roll out Street Dance: The Search across Europe in 2012” Camila Lobo Guerrero, Senior Brand Manager Schwarzkopf
“If they do a 2012 search, go to it!”
Mark Gauden aka The Gingerbread Man, Atti2ude
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