Rimmel moves with the times and changes famous strapline to reflect people’s right to self-expression
Beauty giant Rimmel has shed the famous ‘Get the London Look’ strapline that has become so tied to the brand in favour of what it has dubbed a “subtle, yet powerful” change to reflect a time in history where people are being more expressive.
And it is subtle. Now, Rimmel is urging people to ‘Live the London Look’.
“We want move accordingly with our consumer [and] they don’t want to be told what to do, they want to have a dialogue,"Montse Passolas, vice president global marketing at Rimmel London & Manhattan at Coty, recently explained to The Drum.
"So by making this change from ‘Get’ to ‘Live’ we’re including them,"
To push the shift, the change in strapline has come with the launch of a new digital campaign. A film, directed by Dexter Navy, seeks to act as an “anthem” for diversity and self-expression and for the first time features a young man using the make-up brand’s products.
Like its previous marketing efforts, celebrities continue to play a fundamental role and the brand’s ambassadors - Cara Delevingne, Rita Ora, Georgia May Jagger and Kate Moss – all star in the work.
However, influencers have played a larger part and Portia Ferrari; rising model Maddi Waterhouse; Vivienne Westwood’s grand-daughter Cora Corré; and male teen beauty blogger Lewys Ball have all been given more screen-time in the ad and digital campaign.
The timing of the roll out is, Rimmel says, a happy coincidence. Last weekend, around the world, millions participated in the Women’s March which sought to send a message on issues ranging from race, ethnicity, gender, religion, immigration and healthcare.
“Now is the moment,” said Passolas. “The London Look is whatever you want it to be, it’s a vibe, an attitude, and we want that self-expression to resonate anywhere around the world and for people to feel like they can express who they are and what they feel regardless of gender or culture. That’s the message we want to pass."
The work was developed by BETC London, its first campaign for the brand since winning the global advertising account last summer.
“‘Live the London Look’ invites and inspires guys and girls to explore the many versions of themselves. Cara, Rita, and the Rimmel influencer squad, combined with Dexter Navy’s raw cultural vision - bring a breath of fresh air to this category,” said Rosie Bardales, executive creative director at BETC London.