Propaganda Brand Consultancy has delivered a strategic rebrand and repositioning for international styling tools manufacturer Cloud Nine. Positioning the brand for domestic and international growth, Cloud Nine’s new proposition and brand transformation is designed to reinvigorate the dated hair straightener sector and position them as a true alternative to the current market leader.
Propaganda initially played a pivotal role in creating Cloud Nine ack in 2009, and last August the haircare brand reappointed Propaganda as their lead marketing and creative agency. Since then, driven by an extensive and detailed Brand Discovery™, the consultancy has gathered in-depth insight from current and prospective customers, retailers, salons and Cloud Nine’s global team to help shape a new positioning for the brand.
In a changing beauty category in which consumers are increasingly prioritising health, effortlessness and inclusivity, leading styling tools brands have rigidly stuck to a high-glam aesthetic of extensive heat styling, youthful perfection and nightclub-inspired trends.
With Brand Discovery™ revealing that more and more consumers are limiting heat styling to maintain hair health, Propaganda saw the opportunity to position Cloud Nine to fulfil this need via its unrivalled products. It’s 11-setting temperature control allows users to choose the correct heat for their unique hair, alongside its proprietary pressure-reducing Revive Mode® delivers harmonic vibrations at 8,000x per minute to minimise direct heat, while the tools have Sericite® plates for added care.
With the new proposition: “Strength + Kindness”, Cloud Nine is a gentler, effortless, everyday companion for consumers who want to enhance their personal style, rather than a high heat, one-size-fits-all tool for unattainable perfection. Promoting real looks for real women of all ages, Cloud Nine helps consumers embrace the unique, natural beauty of their hair by maintaining its health
As part of the relaunch campaign, Propaganda has rebranded Cloud Nine with a new visual identity, a refreshed consumer website, an updated social media strategy, retail POS updates and targeted activity with a leading professional trade publication. The relaunch also celebrates Susan Powls, Honorary Chair of Cloud Nine, who played a pioneering role in the growth of the ceramic styling industry. Susan famously coined the phrase “good hair day,” which went on to inspire the name of the iconic brand ghd. As one of the original founders of Cloud Nine, launched in 2009, Susan helped establish the brand’s legacy of innovation and ambition to push the boundaries of hair technology.
Laura Kynaston, Managing Director at Propaganda said, “Having been there at the start of Cloud Nine, it’s really exciting to be back helping to launch a new era for the brand. Cloud Nine is in a very special position with their size, brand awareness and unique technology, but to truly embrace their role in the market we needed to really clearly communicate their proposition to consumers. With this new brand, Cloud Nine is stepping up to meet beauty consumers where they are and is poised to completely shake up the sector.”