Despite their status as a world market leader in shaving razors, Gillette was facing brand loyalty challenges in the Kenyan market. Hill+Knowlton Strategies’ Nairobi team was engaged to strategically plan and face these challenges head on. It was established that their main road blocks were, a lack of awareness and education on the proper methods of shaving, catalyzed by a fear of razor bumps and lack of product availability to due financial difficulties faced by local residents.
In order to effectively increase awareness and purchases of Gillette’s world class shaving razors, a communication plan was ideated and strategically developed by the H+K team and their Gillette associates. With an overall goal to educate Kenyans of the correct, safest and most effective way to use Gillette razors, the campaign slogan “Nyoa Ki-Pro na Gillette” or “Shave like a Pro with Gillette” was established and used as the overarching theme for the campaign.
In order to actively engage Kenyans, the team decided to leverage a Guinness World Record of the most number of people shaving simultaneously in a single venue. The team gathered 2,970 people within one location, presented the attendees with education demonstrations and instructions of the correct, safest and most effective way to use Gillette razors, then engaged them to try their new skills at shaving.
The communications campaign was further supported by an influencer program, a media relations program and social media promotion. The strategic communications tactics proved to be very successful, the campaign hashtags #NyoaKiPronaGillette and #NyoakiProWorldRecord were trending on social media channels in the region for four consecutive days.
Coverage secured during the media relations campaign resulted in a 90 per cent overall share of voice for Gillette and an outstanding 100 per cent positive tone of voice for brand mentions in all coverage pieces.
Within two months, Gillette recorded exceptional sales and activation results including:
- 4 per cent month average volume share growth vs previous period
- 5 per cent numeric distribution growth vs previous period
- 2 points volume growth in the B&R category vs previous period
- 83 per cent consumer recall on the proper shaving technique
- 64 per cent consumer brand association to shaving techniques education
- 60 per cent greater share of voice compared to competitors in the region