Philips and DEPT® spread #bodypositivity with digital-first campaign starring real consumers

Philips knows a thing or two about hair removal. But the brand wanted to stay relevant with its target audience and to do that, it needed to reframe the conversation and get real about body hair. So, for the launch of this campaign, Philips and DEPT® passed the mic to real women and let them tell their own stories. Featuring real bodies and real hair, allowed Philips to own up to their role as a leader in the industry and stay culturally relevant.

“Philips sets an example for other mainstream brands with this campaign created by and for women,” said Minesh Parbat, Creation Lead Beauty at Philips. “The team at DEPT® listened to consumers and took a close look at the complex social relationship with body hair. By combining consumers’ personal stories with the brand video, they created a positive, relevant campaign with great reach.” 

The creative team at DEPT® found inspiration in the user cases of the Lumea IPL 9000 and created a campaign by women and for women that hands over the choice of removing (or not) their body hair to the hands of the individuals themselves. The playful videos include footage shot by women themselves in the comfort of their own homes, making it incredibly real and personal. To elevate the uniqueness of each story even more, some of the best female illustrators were paired up with these women to help bring their stories to life in a unique way. 

The hero product campaign keeps things real by showing body hair in various places for the first time in a Philips ad and acknowledging the struggles of dealing with it. And not only on women. With over 180 different assets in total rolling out across Europe, the campaign is fully adaptable to each market’s individual needs, serving the most relevant message locally to the right audience at the right time, without contributing to the unrealistic picture of female body hair out there.

Rita Kucinskaite, senior creative at DEPT®: “We deliberately stayed away from the old female stereotype of pink bathrooms and shiny smooth legs. Instead, we asked four real Lumea users to film themselves in their own homes. This allowed them to reclaim their bodies and choices, instead of letting someone else determine their perspective. With this campaign, Philips acknowledges that people have body hair and that it is their choice to do something about it. Should people choose to remove body hair, this is the product to do so comfortably and safely.”