Mornings may start seemingly routine, but you never know what the day will bring. That’s the message of personal care brand Harry’s new U.S. campaign, in which a passing sniff of the product leads to a lifetime commitment.
Uncommon Creative Studio in New York produced “The Sniff,” a 30-second film showing a man beginning his day by showering with Harry’s body wash and applying the brand’s deodorant. As he stands on the subway, a nearby woman catches his scent and fireworks fly.
She continues to enjoy his smell as they get married, have a baby, buy a house, grow old together and eventually die—buried side by side with tombstones reading “she loved how he smelled” and “he smelled great.” The ad encourages consumers to “wake up to life-changing scents.”
The characters in the ad resemble video game non-playable characters (NPCs) as a way of connecting with young people who have an affinity for gaming. The campaign also aims to stand out in a category that has historically perpetuated images of perfection.
“What this category is missing is a unique blend of NPCs from video games … and death,” Uncommon New York chief creative officer Sam Shepherd said in a statement.
The spot will run across streaming and owned channels.
“We knew we wanted to show up in the places where our customers are spending time and attention, creating a format that could instill the essence of Harry’s while flexing across brand, product and culture,” Uncommon managing partner Jill Ong told ADWEEK. “We call these Hurricanes—quick moving creative infused with our ‘Wake Up to Harry’s’ brand strategy, and we’ll continue to employ this approach against different products and brand spots in the future.”
Harry’s has been looking to differentiate itself from the stereotypically masculine marketing associated with grooming brands.
Last year, the brand ran an ad in the U.K. by London-based agency The Or that focused on its ability to help men feel good through the strange story of a man confident enough to peel an orange in a meeting. ADWEEK named it one of the best ads of 2023.
CREDITS:
Agency: Uncommon Creative Studio
Production company: Blinking
Director: James Papper
Producer: Sebastian Jowers
Music and sound design: Major Tom
Grade: Andi Chu @ Electric Theatre Collective
Post production: Saurus Animation