The original Pube Song “A song for pubes by pubes”, was highly successful at shining a light on the plight of pubic hair. For the second wave, we needed to take it a step further and start normalizing the conversation around how to take care of the pubic area. It’s something everyone does, but no one feels comfortable talking about.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
The Pube Song was a viral hit; we knew we would continue with our character and animation style; the bigger discussion we had was around the musical genre and introducing a human component.
After a lot of conversations we decided that Princess Nokia would be a perfect artist to partner with and create a song that feels modern, provocative, just awesome. She is also featured in the video. We love her music and what she represents in culture and working with her was pure magic.
What was the process behind ideating the concept?
The main concept, we had from the previous year. On executional process it’s all about the lyrics and making sure they are hilarious but also insightful and hit hard on cultural tensions. We started by listing themes/insights we wanted the song to touch on.
For example, the fact that pubic hair is ignored by beauty influencers, or how there is not much information out there about how to care for the pubic area and asking your mom about it is out of the question. Once the tensions and message felt strong and meaningful, we got into lyrics/song development with Princess Nokia and direction/illustration/animation with Sacha Beeley from Stranger Beast.
What was the production process like?
A very close and fun collaboration between brand, Grey NY creative and music department, Princess Nokia and Sacha,.
What was the biggest challenge during production? How did you overcome it?
Negotiating how to fit the story arc within the time limit and structure – every syllable is crucial.
What kit/tools/software were used to create the project?
Adobe’s animate, Photoshop and After Effects. One of the reasons we partnered with Sacha since day 1 is how tongue-in-cheek her direction, illustration and animation style is. We love it and feels perfect for Tik Tok.
What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production?
The introduction of Mama Pube was a lot of fun. We spent a few rounds making sure she was as lovable as our main character.
What’s the main message of this project and why does it matter?
It’s a rally cry for pube justice. At its core, My Skin My Way Venus campaign pushes against skin and grooming societal biases.
The stigma and censorship around all things pubic is very real, we want to change that, make people and particularly young generations feel comfortable taking and caring about pubic hair; Venus has the perfect tools for that.
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
Around 6 months
What do you hope it achieves for the brand?
In essence fame and effectiveness. Stay culturally relevant, sell a lot of product in a meaningful way and continue pushing Venus My Skin My Way campaign point of view.
Credit list for the work?
Client: P&G Gillette Venus
P&G –
1. John Claughton – Vice President
2. Dana Malcolm – Senior Brand Director
3. Ryan Parker – Brand Director
4. Stacey Mukasa – Senior Brand Manager
5. MyAnh Nghiem – Communications Director
6. James Pooley – BBIC Vice President
Agency: Grey NY -
1. Javier Bonilla – Global Executive Creative Director
2. Rebecca Flinn – Creative Director, Art
3. Bevan Mahaney – Creative Director, Copy
4. Lauren Otis – Associate Creative Director, Copy
5. Sophia Moore – Senior Art Director
6. Claire Wyatt – Senior Copywriter
7. Shelby Issersohn – Senior Project Manager
8. Suzanne Ayello – Partner, Executive Vice President
9. Stephanie O’Donnell – EVP Global Account Director
10. Julie Ressler – VP, Account Director
11. Suzie Whelan – VP, Account Director
12. Liz Brunner – Account Supervisor
13. Emma Olender – Senior Account Executive
14. Taylor McLean – Senior Planner
15. Rachel Langston – Planner
Production Agency: Townhouse –
1. James McPherson – Chief Production Officer
2. Keira Rosenthal – VP, Executive Integrated Producer
3. Jasmine Reyes – Associate Integrated Producer
4. Kurt Steinke – Director of Music Production
5. Beliansh Assefa – Associate Music Producer
Production Company: Strange Beast –
1. Zoe Muslim – Executive Producer
2. Louise Simpson – Producer
3. Nefeli Petika – Producer
4. Maria Kolandawel – Production Assistant
5. Sacha Beeley – Director
6. Nelly Michenaud - Animator
7. Harriet Gillian – Animator
8. Matt Lloyd – Animator
9. Matt Partridge – Animator
10. Ana García Sebastiá – Animator
11. Eloise Garlick – Animation Assistant
12. Zohar Dvir – Animation Assistant
13. Lydia Reid – Animation Assistant
14. Daisy Mojave Holland – Animation Assistant
15. Laura Jayne Hodkin – Animation Assistant
16. Linus Kraemer – Compositor
Post Production Company: GPS
Executive Post Producer: Ned Martin
Post Producer: Devon Edwards
Head of Edit Assist: Andrea Podaski
Assistant Editor: Brandon Cotter
Music and Audio Post - BANG
1. Brian Jones – Composer
2. Alec Setten – Executive Producer
3. Karen Lloyd – Lead Singer
4. Princess Nokia – Co-writer & Featured Artist
Comms/PR Agency: MMC
Media Agency: Carat
Talent Agency: PRE/TMA
