Campaign Date: 2023
Amplify + SheaMoisture bring the sounds, style, and spirit of ‘90s New York City to New Orleans, Essence Festival...
Challenge
SheaMoisture came to Amplify to create a series of pop-ups at Essence Festival, one of the most important celebrations of Black culture in the US. The heritage beauty brand wanted to tell the story of its history, products, and purpose in a way that felt fresh and resonant to a new generation.
Insight + Strategy
As one of the first Black-owned and led haircare brands on the market, SheaMoisture has paved the way for a new generation of Black entrepreneurs, architects, and innovators.
To affirm the brand’s place in the future of beauty, we took it back to its roots with “A Great Day in Harlem” - a celebration of the disruptive spirit and community ethos that defined SheaMoisture in its early days, and continues to power Black beauty and culture.
Solution
A Great Day in Harlem
Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, we channelled ‘90s nowstalgia and installed Black hair salons, colorful bodegas, and even an iconic Harlem stoop at the Essence Festival convention center and nearby at the historic Capitol on Baronne.
Programming across four days featured expert styling and braiding, panel talks with Coco Jones and Lance Gross on colorism and reimagining Black masculinity, a Black Millionaire’s Marketplace featuring 14+ independent, and Black-owned businesses, drop-in chess matches and double dutch, DJ sets, and more.
Results
15K attendees
20+ emerging black-owned businesses geatured
10M impressions
Amplify create big ideas, campaigns, experiences and platforms designed to be amplified at every touchpoint and across the entire marketing mix. We think globally but activate locally, have hubs in London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris and Sydney and operate all over the world.
We were founded as a 'home for creative people and clients' on a shared mission to join 'the dots between people, brands and culture'. We know we have two clients, both the brands that give us the killer briefs and the often hard-to-reach audiences they're trying to engage. Through our campaigns, we find cultural spaces where a brand and audience can come together to create conversation, community and culture - building loyalty and long-term relationships.
We ensure brands cut through in this busy, saturated and complicated world by creating simple, moving and effective campaigns that are empathetic, often living across multiple channels.