While face masks help prevent the spread of Covid-19, they can also make communication difficult not just by muffling the speaker’s voice, but also because they hide nonverbal cues that come from facial gestures using the nose, mouth and chin.
That leaves the eyes, eyebrows and forehead to do more of the talking.
Focusing on this shift in how people express themselves, razor brand Schick has produced a short tutorial using its Hydro Silk product on how to communicate better with your eyebrows. The three-minute clip, created in partnership with Edelman, features body language expert Blanca Cobb, who has a master’s degree in psychology from North Carolina State University, sharing tips with actor Madison Bailey, star of the Netflix teen drama Outer Banks.
Examples include greeting someone (a quick lift then drop of the eyebrows) and letting someone know you’re listening (a sustained eyebrow lift).
During the exchange, Bailey says she uses Hydro Silk’s Touch-Up razor to keep her brows sharp—and, presumably, her nonverbal messages sharper. Bailey recently posted the video to her 3.2 million followers on Instagram.
“We know from trends that many women now are looking for eye and eyebrow products to help accentuate their face above their mask, instead of the usual bold lip color,” said Melissa Rossi, brand manager at Hydro Silk. “Brows are really the new lips.”
The brand partnered with Bailey because it knew she would resonate with Hydro Silk’s audience, said Rossi. “She’s approachable and, of course, she has great brows.”
In addition to a post on Bailey’s personal Instagram account, Hydro Silk is also pushing its eyebrow tutorial with paid spots on YouTube and Snapchat.
Although Rossi indicated that sales of eyebrow tools have been on the rise during the pandemic, total demand for razor blades has dropped as fewer people seem dedicated to maintaining a clean shave. For the three-month period ending June 30, Schick Hydro Silk’s parent company Edgewell Personal Care reported that net sales of its shaving segment decreased 15% compared to the same quarter last year.
Company CEO Rod Little told analysts during an August earnings call that the result of this change in consumer behavior is evident during Zoom calls. “There’s less shaving happening right now,” he said.
As for Schick Hydro Silk’s attention to eyebrows, however, the brand sees an opportunity to drive purchase consideration with its new campaign.
“Knowing that consumers are looking for DIY tools that give them salon-quality results from home, we feel like our Hydro Silk Touch-Up is in a really great place to succeed right now,” said Rossi.
The Fans. The Brands. Social Good. The Future of Sports. Don't miss the upcoming Brandweek Sports Marketing Summit and Upfronts, a live virtual experience on Nov. 16-19. Early-bird passes available until Oct. 26. Register now.
