Beyond The Headlines: Gillette makes Movember moves, Cif Cream targets new consumers

This week in industry news, Gillette expanded its partnership with Movember to North America to fight prostate cancer. Meanwhile, Shiseido launched a Preschool Exchange and Unilever’s Cif Cream launched a TikTok campaign targeting Gen Z and Millennial audiences.

Partnerships and collaborations

The month of November is celebrated as Movember, where men are encouraged to shave their faces and grow a mustache to raise awareness and money for men’s health issues, including prostate cancer. Gillette became Movember’s exclusive grooming partner in the US. The collaboration aims to raise awareness and donations for prostate cancer research. In November and December, Gillette will donate to Movember for each Gillette product purchased. Gillette urges men to speak with their doctor about prostate cancer screenings as one in eight will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to data cited by the brand. 

IHeartMedia and Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment announced the inaugural lineup of podcast shows for WSAN, the first-ever audio platform dedicated exclusively to women’s sports. Capital One, E.L.F. Cosmetics and E.L.F. Skin joined as the network’s founding partners. As a free, ad-supported network, the Women’s Sports Audio Network is designed to amplify well-known and new influential women sports athletes and relevant programming to millions of listeners nationwide and “unlock access to inventory and opportunities for brands to engage.”

Alicia Keys's brand released new shades of its Let Me Glow Illuminating Serum for all skin tones.Allergan Aesthetics was joined by SkinSpirit, a destination for medical aesthetics and skin care, to inspire girls to explore career paths in STEM. In its first year of participation, SkinSpirit will kick off the campaign with a US$5,000 donation from SkinSpirit Gives, the company’s philanthropic arm. SkinSpirit will invite their clients to donate in the first two weeks of November. The funds will go directly to Girls Inc. to support STEM programming, mentorship and related career exploration to the over 114,000 girls in 350 cities and 75 affiliates nationwide.  

Social aid

In Japan, Shiseido collaborated with KitchHike, Kakegawa City in Shizuoka Prefecture, and Kodomology (a Shiseido subsidiary) to launch a new service, “Preschool Exchange,” at the Shiseido Kangaroom Kakegawa childcare facility located within the Shiseido Kakegawa Factory, Japan. The Preschool Exchange is a service provided by KitchHike. Families can stay in the area at affiliated accommodations while their children attend the local preschool for one to two weeks. At Kangaroom Kakegawa, families can get a baby skin care experience and visit adjacent Shiseido facilities for experiential programs. 

Medical and aesthetic laser technologies company Sciton announced that all ticket sales from its Skin CEO event in Nashville, US, would be donated to support hurricane relief efforts. The proceeds will directly benefit Sciton customers impacted by recent hurricanes in Florida and other affected regions. Sciton has also pledged to match every dollar raised, doubling the total contribution to aid in rebuilding the communities.

Social media spin

Cif Cream took to #CleanTok on TikTok — the platform’s “most followed community” — to reach Gen Zs and millennials, which Unilever called an increasingly affluent shopper group. The multipurpose cleaner was also made available in over 75 countries. It launched a Satis-hack-tion campaign with real-life cleaning videos set to Italian DJ Benny Benassi’s track Satisfaction re-recorded with Cif’s lyrics. The content showcases different hacks and uses for the product, aimed at Gen Zs and millennials. The campaign ran globally across ten markets, achieving over 300 million impressions and over two million engagements. In France, sales soared 17%.

Product launches and updates

Keys Soulcare by Alicia Keys and E.L.F. Beauty released new shades of its best-selling Let Me Glow Illuminating Serum. Formulated to hydrate, illuminate and prime the skin, the serum can be used alone or as a priming base prior to makeup. It is designed to brighten and balance the skin’s appearance with niacinamide and replenish with antioxidant-rich rose water and plant-derived squalane. The formula also contains the crystal amethyst.Cif targets younger consumers on social media.

No7 launched a 12-piece Pro Artist makeup collection all under £20 (US$25.80). The range featured lipsticks, lip oil, lip liner primer, concealer, setting powder, blush, cream bronzer, an eyeshadow palette, eye pencil, brow gel and fixing spray.  

AmLactin unveiled new formulations across its entire product line. AmLactin referenced consumer feedback and dermatological standards to craft the dual-action formulas that exfoliate and hydrate the skin. Formulated with a clinically proven pH-balanced lactic acid salt, the formulas offer multi-purpose benefits, allowing no-scrub exfoliation that removes dead skin cells and boosts cell turnover. The new formulations are made with a higher-quality purified form of lactic acid.

Lickgoods launched a Lick Pineapple Flavored Massage Oil. The product is made with natural ingredients and is designed for sensitive skin. It is safe to ingest, and the company explains that it is not sticky or artificial. The “clean formula” is for consumers “looking for worry-free intimacy.”