How Olaplex used TikTok dupe culture to boost awareness for its high-end hair brand

One of the hottest costumes this Halloween might be dupes. This year has seen several brands lean into so-called “dupe culture,” in which influencers plug cheaper alternatives to existing higher-end products on social media. High-end hair care brand Olaplex recently tapped into the trend with a campaign that disguised its own core “hair perfector” product as a dupe. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs After noticing that Olaplex was consistently getting duped on TikTok, the Santa Barbara, California-based brand created its own fake “Oladupé” product that it sent to 900 global influencers. They promoted the item until a few days later, when Olaplex CEO JuE Wong revealed in her own TikTok post that Oladupé was actually Olaplex. “Oladupé is really just Olaplex. No dupe or brand can copy our patents, ingredients or bond-building technology,” said Wong on TikTok. @olaplex Hear it first from #OLAPLEX CEO @Ju E Wong –with over 160 patents, OLAPLEX is truly #UNDUPABLE ♬ original sound - olaplex Before they knew it was Olaplex, consumers were sent to an Oladupé website, where the first 160 registrants received Olaplex’s product. “It was an opportunity for us to organically insert ourselves into this [dupes] conversation and amplify our own ‘unduppable’ science and also have fun and be playful by building off a cultural trend that’s happening,” said Charlotte Watson, chief marketing officer at Olaplex, noting that this is the first dupes-focused campaign for the company. It is also Olaplex’s first time working with Movers+Shakers, the creative agency it deployed for the project. @_yaliah Literally obsessed with the new OLAPLEX dupe 🤍 RUN to OLADUPE.com for your free OLADUPÉ bottle 🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️#ad #OLADUPE #OLAPLEXdupe #OLAPLEX #hairtok #Inverted ♬ original sound - Yaliah | beauty & lifestyle Olaplex, which sells directly to consumers as well as at retailers such as Sephora and Ulta Beauty, joins brands such as Lululemon and Whole Foods in claiming dupe culture as their own. Such marketers are embracing the trend as a way to promote their own products and attract young Gen Z consumers for relatively inexpensive media costs. Also read: Inside TikTok dupe culture The strategy can also help luxury brands showcase the differences between their offerings and cheap knock-offs. For example, earlier this year, Lululemon hosted its own “dupe swap” in which customers could bring in low-cost versions of its nearly $100 Align leggings and receive the real thing in exchange. The move brought the Canadian activewear brand to thousands of new potential customers, the majority of whom were under the age of 30. For Olaplex, the campaign’s results have also been encouraging, according to Watson. The campaign has garnered 676,000 total engagements to date, and the hashtag Oladupé has amassed 32 million views on TikTok. Other hashtags such as #OlaplexDupe have doubled to 60 million views from 30 million views two weeks ago, Watson said. In addition, the brand is further connecting with those 160 consumers who received free products via a redemption code. “We’ll engage with them,” said Watson. “We’ve seen strong traction with that redemption code so far.” The dupe strategy comes at a time when Olaplex’s sales have decreased as the brand battles competition and a recent lawsuit alleging its products cause hair loss. For the second quarter ended June 30, Olaplex reported net sales were down 48% from the year-earlier period, to $109.2 million; net income fell to $6.2 million from $87.7 million in the second quarter of 2022. On an earnings call with analysts in August, executives for the beauty brand noted recent marketing efforts to improve the situation, including a campaign in June. The company expects marketing to increase to a range of $80 million to $85 million this year compared to $40 million in 2022. “In order to support our future growth, we must continue to amplify our investment and expand our marketing and educational capabilities,” said Wong on the call. This week, Olaplex announced that Wong is leaving the company. She will be replaced as CEO next year by Amanda Baldwin, the current CEO of skin care company Supergoop, and Olaplex Executive Chairman John Bilbrey will work as interim CEO until then. Watson cited a focus on education—a key aspect of the dupe campaign includes convincing consumers that Olaplex is too unique to be duped—in order to combat misinformation. “The strategy behind this campaign is to amplify the education around our products,” said Watson. “This campaign gives us an opportunity to reassert our authority.”

How Olaplex used TikTok dupe culture to boost awareness for its high-end hair brand

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