The Industry
Hairdressing: An industry that wasn’t cutting it
We created a brand campaign to change attitudes about careers in hairdressing.
The challenge
Fewer and fewer young people were training to become hairdressers, and those that did didn’t represent the sense of diversity the industry welcomes.
Although hairdressing offers huge employment opportunities to all, and especially to females and young people, there was a stigma around the profession. When people think about hairdressing, they often think of the perceived low pay, day-to-day monotony and lack of career progression. Our research revealed that 28% of people say it’s only a valid profession if other options don’t work out, and 75% say they weren’t told about it as a career option at school.
As a result, employers were struggling to hire new talent. Young people going into the profession fell by 13% in 2018/19, according to the National Hair & Beauty Federation, and FE Data tables showed that between 2019/2020, the number of people starting hairdressing and barbering apprenticeships in England fell by 30% YOY.
Our client, The Industry — a not-for-profit organisation with key industry investors including L’Oréal Professionnel Paris, Redken, Treatwell and Paul Mitchell — asked us to develop campaign materials that would overcome these out-of-date perceptions of the industry by showcasing the breadth of opportunities, financial security and the impact of the hairdressing craft to drive the next generation of talented hairdressers.
Our approach
We worked closely with The Industry to develop a brand strategy, brand identity and strategic communication plan.
Through our Real Folk Community, we started by gathering insight from our key audiences: teenagers considering their futures, as well as parents and teachers (those with the most influence over the choices they make).
A key barrier was that young people had real concerns about their career progression, earning potential and whether the industry had space for people like them. They weren’t disinterested in hairdressing. They just hadn’t been shown a version of it that felt relevant or like the right fit for their lives.
These weren’t audiences that responded well to generic career messaging. And so our campaign strategy was built around real stories from real people already working in the industry, with creative executions designed to open minds to the opportunities that were already there, just not visible enough yet.
Creative was tested with the Real Folk Community before it went live. We shared the campaign assets directly with the target audience, to check whether the direction and messaging genuinely resonated. Their insights and feedback strengthened the final campaign deliverables.
The impact
The campaign was seen by almost 30 million people, effectively challenging negative perceptions about hairdressing by showcasing the creativity, diversity and innovation that characterise the industry today.
Since launch, funding provision for hairdressing and barbering apprenticeships has increased significantly, allowing education providers to deliver up-to-date, fully-funded apprenticeships and providing a real boost to sector recruitment, skills and training.
Our client could finally connect with the talent that had been missing from the field, reaching them with a message that genuinely resonated.
“The Not ‘Just’ A Salon campaign reminded people of the benefits of a salon visit to mental health and wellbeing while also showcasing how salons are innovative, exciting and compelling places to work and make a difference.”
Jenny Brooks, chief executive, Hairdressing Industry
Need a brand campaign that challenges outdated perceptions? Get in touch
