The haircut is a play on its branding: KFC is calling a
straight-ahead bowl cut the "Original Recipe," according to a
picture book KFC has published
highlighting the hairdos. Another featured look is "The Spork
& Bowl," with a spork-like style shaved into the back of the
hairstyle. (If anyone takes KFC up on this, please, please send us
before-and-after photos.)
Backstreet Boy Nick Carter tweeted the news this week. A KFC rep
says the chain did not pay Carter for the plug.
Facetime
The future of beauty is now. Olay, in its first official
appearance at CES, is showing people what their faces could look
like way into the future. The Procter & Gamble Co. brand's
"Future You Simulation" presents different scenarios—such as
using sunscreen daily vs. no sunscreen use at all—and then
shows you what your skin could look like should you not, you know,
take care of it. The brand is also launching a smart wand, to be
used with its existing Skin Advisor app, that would determine which
ingredients your skin needs (e.g., peptides), and then apply them.
And P&G Beauty is launching an AI-driven beauty platform,
Setlist, to help women quantify, track and optimize their skincare
routines. For more on P&G's techy innovations,
check out our CES coverage.
New cop joins ad police beat
If you've watched too much TV, you might have found yourself
wondering if testosterone supplement Nugenix can make former
baseball star Frank Thomas look as studly as depicted, or even if
it can do the same for you. Now there's a new industry
self-regulatory program to help answer such deep questions. The
Council of Better Business Bureaus has joined the Direct Selling
Association to create the Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council, a
sort of National Advertising Division for the Veg-O-Matic world.
This is probably a good idea as a lot of the group's time is
already spent delving into questionable direct-response ad claims.
"We know that direct selling has sometimes suffered from perceived
problems, occasional bad actors, and others who pretend to be
legitimate," says DSA CEO Joseph Mariano in a statement. "We have
decided to address these issues directly, by holding companies to
the highest standards with an effective third-party regimen."
Feel the power
January is supposedly a big month for fitness and Athleta is
taking advantage of this with a new campaign that plays into its
previous female-centric strategy. The Gap Inc.-owned brand is
rolling out "She Who Pushes You, Powers You." Athleta will host
classes in stores where consumers are encouraged to team up on
challenges.
Something new
Remember that time David's Bridal aired its first TV commercial
featuring a same-sex couple? You should,
since it was only last week. The results are in and it looks
like the move into more diversity in its marketing is paying off
for the bridal chain, which filed for bankruptcy protection late
last year. The ad, which showcases two women getting married along
with other non-traditional brides, received an ABX Index rating of
106, or 6 percent over the norm. The index, compiled by ad tracking
firm ABX, rates things like likability, awareness and
recommendation.
Mondelez makes a move
Mondelez International Inc., is the latest food marketer
relocating to Chicago from the suburbs. The maker of Oreo cookies,
Cadbury chocolate and Trident gum plans to have about 400 employees
work in a new building at 905 W. Fulton Market once its lease in
suburban Deerfield expires in April 2020. Mayor Rahm Emanuel's
office said 11 food companies have announced or moved headquarters
to Chicago since 2011. They include Mondelez rivals Mars Wrigley
and Ferrara Candy Co., as well as Mondelez's former sibling Kraft
(now Kraft Heinz).
Pizza's here, and so is the beer
