Ready To Fierce It?

No7 x Mother

Here's one way some would face it:

No7, a cosmetic brand owned by Boots/Walgreens shows us the message they are pushing with the help of advertising agency, Mother. And they enlisted Olympic fencer, Monica Aksamit to tell us about it.

One word. Different. It's unlike most cosmetic/makeup spots we see. And production wise? It's visually appealing, and it doesn't show the obvious: Faces. Usually a prerequisite for makeup brands. Although makeup serves a specific purpose -- to achieve a result -- this ad shows us another type of "achievement". It shows what a makeup -- naturally, No7 -- wants to do for their consumers. And that is: Make them "better".

Yes, it's a new way to "see" this message. But truth be told? It isn't innovative -- at all. If you're a woman, you've seen the many cosmetic ads that have targeted us with the exact same "messaging" of being fierce, bold, and confident "thanks to their products". You would think though, that with all these cosmetic brands jumping on that bandwagon by shifting their marketing to give consumers that perception, that the world would be free of ladies (many as early as 11) feeling they "need" makeup to feel better, look better, and be better.

I have yet to see a makeup brand be so off their rockers innovative that their messaging becomes one that boldly tells women that they can shine from the inside out -- not from the outside in. It's rare and that's why it's needed.

Here's a thought. How about a makeup brand putting out a message that says: "You don't need us to make you bold. Just let us be the one to mirror that boldness." Talk about brand boldness, right? It's like saying: "I want you to want me, not need me. You should be solid all on your own!"

Bravo on the execution. It's a great concept. The way you guys made those colors jump out? Brilliant. Only thing is -- and this may be simple and something easy to bypass but -- it's simple enough to make a difference: Athletes don't need makeup to be better, because athletes focus on winning and that ALL comes from within. In fact, if we want to be PC about it, it's not at all a healthy habit to wear makeup while working out/playing sports because "makeup forms a barrier on your skin covering your pores, and when working out, your makeup mixes with oil and perspiration, which in turn congests your skin and prevents those pores from being able to release sweat."

With a very slight shift in the strategy, this ad could've started a new wave in this market which, of course, would've made for a more impactful brand message.

Sources: Creativity Online, Boots UK's YouTube channel, Whitney Bowe, M.D. quote (InStyle)