Pantene Reimagines ‘Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Beautiful’ to Celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride

A long-form commercial debuted at Cannes today, and it features a range of people—those who identify as gay, trans, non-binary, bi, queer, androgynous, lesbian, femme, masc and more—facing the camera, smiling, playing with their hair, dancing and celebrating who they are.
The soundtrack, which hails from Keri Hilson’s 2010 “Pretty Girl Rock,” drives the point home perfectly.
Part of Pantene’s broader “Power to Transform” campaign, which is aimed at using the brand’s products and platform to improve lives by defying bias and showing a more inclusive world (through projects like equalizing search results for men and women), the new spot is also tied to the brand’s sponsorship of WorldPride.
“For many in the [LGBTQ+] community, hair plays a pivotal role in their transformation moment,” says Ilaria Resta, vp of North America hair care, Procter & Gamble. “In fact, from our research, we found that 60% of LGBTQ+ persons change their hair when they have a life or identity change. So, whether that means getting a major chop or growing out your locks to defy societal norms or embracing hair that bends the gender binary entirely, hair is an impactful visual cue of transformation, and this new campaign from Pantene aims to show the beauty of all transformations and of all people.”
Other parts of the new campaign will include a closer look at the individual stories of three people featured in the group video, like that of Pooya, who the brand describes as a transgender woman from Iran “who was once jailed for having hair that was considered too long.”
CREDITS
Advertiser: Pantene
Spot Title: Don’t Hate Me Because I’m BeautifuLGBTQ+
First Air Date: 6/18/19
Agency: Grey New York
Creative – Grey NY
Chief Creative Officer: Rodrigo Jatene
Creative Director: Arturo Macouzet
Assistant Creative Director: Bryan Burns
Senior Art Director: Emily Pracher
Account – Grey NY
EVP, Global Account Director: Anjali Jain
SVP, Account Director: Kate Bernhardt
Account Supervisor: Payton Brown
Strategy – Grey NY
Global Strategy Director: Julia Perissinoto
Director of Social Media: Kenny Gold
Senior Content Architect: Finn Leslie
Senior Content Architect: Andrew Pattee
Project Management – Grey NY
Project Manager: Morgan Marc
Production – Townhouse NY
Executive Producer: Keira Rosenthal
Senior Print Producer: Don Lagas
VP Casting: Nina Pratt
Associate Casting Director: Brian Safuto
VP Talent: Natasha Howell
Business Manager: Beverly Beach
Partner Agencies
MMK
Carat