Sebastian Professional Relaunches Entire Brand
Proctor & Gamble Reinvents Sebastian Professional Hair Care Products
Jul 1, 2008
For three decades, Sebastian Professional has been a staple in the salon industry. Created in the early ‘70s by John Sebastian, his wife Geri, and his youngest brother Tony, the trio started with the invention of a straightening iron and a curling iron.
As reported in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s "Styling the Environment" by Kara Glover, the business didn't take off until 1974, after Geri spent nearly a day trying to curl Barbra Streisand's hair for an album cover photo session. Making Streisand's hair curly was so time-consuming, Geri was inspired to invent the crimping iron—the product that spurred the team to turn the partnership into a formal corporation.
In 1976 the company began selling liquid professional hair care products, and gradually developed iconic products like Shaper and Shaper Plus Hairspray.
Old School Sebastian
Stylists worldwide had cherry-picked from Sebastian’s sub-lines: Originals, Laminates, Laminates Sheer, Body Double and Extah. These sub-lines each produced a couple of must-have individual hair styling products like Shaper and Potion 9, but none had been largely successful as a whole line.
The cult following kept Sebastian in business, along with the image Sebastian created in the industry. It has always been cutting edge in style and creativity, but was losing the battle against diversion and creating a bigger presence.
Back to the Drawing Board
After Proctor & Gamble purchased Germany’s Wella AG in 2003—which included Sebastian and Graham Webb International—the manufacturing company initiated what Wella Canada calls a “reinvention” that is virtually unheard of.
By recognizing the stagnation of the Sebastian brand, P&G invested over $1.5 million dollars in what Wella Canada describes as the most extensive consumer and stylist testing ever conducted in the salon industry. P&G’s proven research methods, and state-of-the-art technology examined:
- Input from 80 industry experts and over 800 industry professionals
- More than 10,000 consumer interviews
- Extensive design, product and communications testing
The result? Change everything but the name.
Fearless Hair Fashion
Today marks the relaunch in the United States by unveiling its “Fearless Hair Fashion” image and products.
In its first campaign for the new Sebastian, the company has used internet phenomenon Cory Kennedy as the face for Whipped Crème, speaking directly to its target market. The brand doesn’t aim to please everybody.
It is responding to the wants and needs of what the research has deemed Beauty Junkies and Aspiring Artists. These are the 12- to 35-year-olds who are spending on average $75 per salon visit, which is three times more than the average consumer. They are the trendsetters of their broad social network, and are highly influential. The stylists are young, passionate, gifted, and manipulate the industry with their urban lifestyle mindset and fashion.
Sebastian eradicated the entire line of yesterday, save for its idolized Shaper. It has replaced the past sub-lines with one collection incorporating the handful of improved “hero” products of the past with 80% new formulas.
Sebastian is banking on its name of yesterday to reinvigorate the industry with its Foundation, Flow, Form and Flaunt products of today.
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