How Edelman used YouGov data to back their Cannes Lion award winning campaign
Challenge
Edelman needed data to understand generations of women in Thailand to power their campaign.
Solution
YouGov's quality, representative panel helped reach women and girls from Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z.
Business outcome
Powerful insights shaped a successful campaign that boosted brand performance and changed government policy.
Business challenge
Edelman's client, a leading haircare brand, aimed to boost confidence among women and young girls via The Self-Esteem Project, which was tailored to local issues in various countries. To do this, they needed to work with a research partner to reach and understand women of different generations, looking for a trustworthy data partner that could provide a representative reflection of the opinions of women in Thailand.
In Thailand, they developed #LetHerGrow, a campaign addressing the distress from strict school hair regulations, which led to public, punitive haircuts and impacted children's mental health. Edelman sought to understand hair shaming perceptions from their key audience to create an effective, culturally sensitive marketing strategy.
Solution
Understanding the sensitivity surrounding social issues and cultural values in Thailand, Edelman partnered with YouGov. Our highly engaged representative panel and the accuracy of our data made the process straightforward and was instrumental in achieving the client’s objectives.
Using YouGov Profiles, our flagship tool for understanding audiences, the YouGov team identified a representative sample of 800 participants, including women and girls from Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z, as well as teachers. The team then conducted a survey aimed to measure awareness and attitudes towards hair shaming, personal experiences with the practice, and the desire for change.
The research findings revealed that 71% of young women (ages 19-24) felt mandatory haircuts harmed their self-confidence, and over 40% of teachers were unaware of relaxed rules. YouGov’s expertise ensured that the survey questions were unbiased and comprehensive, providing a clear picture of the perceptions and impacts of hair shaming across different demographics. These helped to shape the “Let Her Grow” campaign, by making it data informed.
Business outcomes
The results uncovered in the survey powered the wide reaching “Let Her Grow" campaign, which then gained over 11 million YouTube views in three days and won a Cannes Lions Bronze award.
Following this, the impactful campaign influenced a policy shift, with the Bangkok Governor announcing new regulations for 437 schools, allowing students to choose their hairstyles without fear of punishment or humiliation.
The data-backed campaign led to the Ministry of Education lifting hairstyle restrictions. Edelman’s client also established a fund to support awareness and research towards ending hair shaming practices and had a significant boost in brand performance.