PHILIPS MALE GROOMING

The enemy: clean shaven conformity. 

Our competitors were out-spending us several times over, all tussling over the right to claim the closest shave. So we decided to fight for something else entirely: self-expression in the midst of the routine. We launched with a TV spot inspired by the words of American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson:

This was followed by a print campaign in which each execution focussed on a different young man’s valiant efforts to bring a bit of self expression into this daily life. In the first execution we met Jeremy White from L.A. The copy read:

Meet L.A. sign-spinner, Jeremy White. His boss told him he had to hold the sign. But he didn't tell him how. From the job you do to the way you groom there are always opportunities to be creative in your routine. Jeremy uses the Philips BodyGroom to help him trim and shave every hair below the neck. So whether it's his tricks or his torso, he's proud to show the world what he's got.

Next, we met Matt Mili from New York City whose love of plants and flowers had grown beyond his allotment. The copy read:

Whether he’s turning wasteland into farmland or an abandoned car into a work of art, community farmer Matt Mili puts his green fingers to work transforming run-down corners of his neighbourhood. From the job you do to the way you groom, there are always opportunities to be creative in your routine. Matt might like to get his hands dirty but that doesn’t mean his face can’t be slick. The skin-friendly Philips Sensotouch 3D with its flexible heads helps him get that clean-shaven look when facial hair just isn’t him.

Finally, we were introduced to Timm Schneider from Hamburg. The copy read:

Graphic designer Timm Schneider sets out early on his daily commute to enliven the Hamburg cityscape with his unique creative twist. From the daily grind to your daily groom, there are always opportunities to stamp your personality on your routine. Philips PerfectStubble enables precision trimming right down to the last half-millimetre. After all, sometimes it’s the little details that make all the difference.

Online, the main characters from the ads had their own mini-documentaries showcasing their particular take on self-expression within the everyday. Here's Jeremy the sign-spinner: