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Three headstrong people share their stories | #BehindTheIdea

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A trans activist, a rapper and a comedian talk openly and frankly about their life, inspirations, achievements, challenges, and why their hair is such a huge part of their headstrong personality. All while getting their haircut in Bed Head’s first-ever consumer-facing campaign. 

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The films see comedian Lilly Philips, trans activist  Lucia Blake, and rapper FFSYTHO all take to the barber’s chair of Bed Head chief stylist Philip Downing. As he cuts and styles the three of them open up and share their fascinating stories of their journeys, their feelings on getting there and what they think life holds in store.

To learn more and go deeper behind the idea, we spoke to Lewis Bostrand-Mooney, Creative Director at Lucky Generals.

What was the brief?

To launch Bed Head for the first time to consumers and re-establish their rebellious, bold, self-confident attitude that defined them when they first burst on the scene in the 90’s. And, at the same time introduce the brand to a whole new generation.

How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?

We wanted to build a “give-a-fuck” community of people who don’t mould, shape or buck for anyone. To do that we needed to bring back the rebellious punk spirit and attitude that defined them in the 90s in a way that’s relevant today. Hair in the 90s was more about fitting in with trends, but today we wanted to talk about how it is a bigger part of your identity and that it’s actually an extension of your personality.

What was the process behind ideating the concept?

The key was finding a great way to express our strategy, and we did just that when we landed on the endline ‘Stay headstrong’. This champions not just having a strong hairstyle, but also having the strength to stay true to yourself. The line was ownable, inspirational and speaks to our core audience of confident, headstrong individuals.

A key insight that inspired the creative work was that people often have a very close relationship with their hairdresser, opening up about their personal lives whilst getting a haircut.

So we thought this would be the perfect setting for a series of engaging interviews with headstrong individuals.

Whilst our brilliant stylist Philip Downing got to work, our interviewees would open up to him about their story, their inspirations and their achievements. They would tell us about how they stayed headstrong and overcame difficult challenges in their lives. And crucially, why their hair was or became a sacred and empowering part of their identity and personality.

Philip’s hair styling artistry and craftsmanship was brought to life through mesmerising cinematography and direction by Coral Browne that drew people into each personal, headstrong story.

These interviews would take us on a compelling journey, ending on an inspirational high as we see our heroes looking their most charismatic, confident and headstrong selves.

What was the production process like?

It wasn’t easy! We searched high and low to find the perfect headstrong candidates who would epitomise the spirit of the brand. Once we found our heroes, we had to devise a watertight logistical plan to film 3 interviews and photo shoots in one day. Luckily, we found a place where all this could be done – ironically, that place was Barnet.

What was the biggest challenge during production? How did you overcome it?

As mentioned previously, finding the interviewees was the main challenge! We needed the right people to bring our idea, our ethos and our attitude to life. They needed to be unique and distinctive from each other, yet united by their headstrong spirit.

We worked with a specialist casting agency who helped us find our headstrong individuals. Fortunately, we found 3 absolutely perfect people - comedian Lilly Philips, trans activist Lucia Blayke, and rapper FFSYTHO

What kit/tools/software were used to create the project?

We used everything from the hair tools, equipment and products of the hairstylist Philip Downing. The film production crew for the interviews directed by Coral Brown, the editor of the film, Liz Deegan and the production crew for the photo shoot by Sophie Jones. Then there were the graphic designers Rakeem Russell and Indy Basra who crafted the layouts and typography of the posters and film titles.

What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production?

A deeply moving moment occurred on set when Lucia Blayke surprised us all by revealing to Philip that he was the first person to cut her hair since she transitioned. There was not a dry eye in the room.

What’s the main message of this project and why does it matter?

That hair can be more than just a fashion accessory or a superficial ‘look’. It’s part of your identity – we want people to feel empowered to express themselves through their hair and ultimately, Stay Headstrong.

How long did it take from inception to delivery?

Often creative projects feel longer than they actually are – but this actually did last over a year! It was worth it though!

What do you hope it achieves for the brand

We hope to reinvigorate a well-loved brand with fresh energy, drive and purpose. Not only for those who remember Bed Head from the 90s but to a whole new generation - and inspire them all to Stay Headstrong.

Credit list for the work?

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CREDITS

CREATIVE AGENCY: Lucky Generals

BRAND: Bed Head

PRODUCTION COMPANY: OB Management

DIRECTOR: Coral Brown

PHOTOGRAPHER: Sophie Jones

EDIT COMPANY: Whitehouse Post

EDITOR: Liz Deegan

POST PRODUCTION: Absolute Post

POST PRODUCTION PRODUCER: Sarah Mearz

SOUND: Rascal Post

SOUND DESIGN: Aaron Taffell

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