Pantene taps in ancient Chinese art in new campaign

Pantene has showcased how modern hair care technology can be fused with the ancient Chinese art of hair embroidery in China.

The campaign, created by creative agency Grey Hong Kong, is designed to highlight Pantene’s 3-Minute Miracle conditioner’s ability to restore damaged hair to the quality required for hair embroidery, a traditional art form considered part of China's cultural heritage.

At the centre of the campaign is a collaborative piece of embroidery created by master artist Zhou Yinghua (see below). He used hair restored by Pantene to craft the artwork. Hair embroidery demands high-quality hair—smooth, soft, resilient, and shiny—qualities Pantene claims its conditioner can deliver in under three minutes.

The campaign seeks to answer a specific challenge: can chemically damaged hair be repaired to the exacting standards of strength and tenacity required for traditional hair embroidery? Pantene's 3-Minute Miracle conditioner proves this is possible, as the restored hair was used to create a piece titled 'Court Ladies Adorning Their Hair with Flowers'.

“With Pantene’s innovative approach, we are reimagining the beauty of ancient figures through modern women's strong, radiant hair,” said Lizzy Luan, brand director of Pantene China.

Pantene has donated the hair-embroidered artwork to the China Embroidery Art Museum, a mark of a blend of tradition and modern technology.

Campaign’s take: Visually appealing, culturally resonant, the campaign cleverly links the 3-Minute Miracle with a revered art form. The message: Pantene transforms damaged hair into something exquisite, worthy of tradition is clear. But "exquisite" shouldn't be confined to a single, narrow ideal. While celebrating transformation, we fear the campaign risks reinforcing the very pressures it seemingly alleviates. True empowerment lies in embracing diversity, not conforming to a singular, straight albeit beautiful, standard. We wonder if the campaign truly empowers, or simply re-package old beauty ideals in a shimmering new wrapper?

CREDITS

Client: Pantene

Agency: Grey Hong Kong
Duffy Lau, managing director
Joe Yue, creative partner
Owen Smith, chief strategy officer
Jesppie Poon, business director
Frankie Lo, senior account director
Alan Wong, creative director
Ivy Cheung, associate creative director
Hawaii Xia, associate creative director
Frankie Wong, senior art director
Fortuna Peng, copywriter
Maggie Chan, strategy director
Trevor Tong, senior strategic planner
John Lo, head of content production