Procter & Gamble's Tag brand launched its Signature Series body sprays—a line fronted by skateboarder Rob Dyrdek, basketball player Carmelo Anthony, and rapper Ludacris—at a rooftop event at the London West Hollywood. P&G's Cincinnati-based assistant brand manager for Tag, Athena Kasvikas, oversaw the event, working with Epiphany Media to produce the party, where logos and scantily clad girls reigned.
To announce the party, Epiphany mailed out invitations in the form of briefcases filled with body sprays. And the body sprays played starring roles at the event, too: Models offered spritzes from spray bottles on serving trays (from a distance, you might have thought they were offering cocktails). Silver-painted girls danced on platforms, and roving models sported door-knocker-style earrings emblazoned with Tag logos. More logos decked the bottom of the pool and gobos that brightened the walls in the outdoor space. And a Lamborghini with Dub Publishing and Tag logos stood sentry at the entrance.
Also at the lobby-level entrance, a line of would-be guests—including friends of the celebrity hosts, figures from the sports and entertainment worlds, affiliates of the brand, and media—backed up when the upstairs party space reached capacity. Kasvikas described the celebrities aligned with the brand as "aspirational," "charity affiliated," "passionate" people who "make things happen," and who are the right fit for the young, urban consumer Tag is trying to reach with the new product line. "It shows that Tag is really staying true to that consumer," she said, by fully integrating celebrities with those qualities.
She added that the celebrity integration goes much further than an appearance at the launch event—a growing trend among marketing strategists. "Anybody can pay an exorbitant amount of money to get a spokesperson, but this is more of a business partnership. Not only are their faces appearing on the cans, but they're marketing with us. We picked the right people, and they picked us back. They're very involved with all of the marketing that we're doing, and they're always coming to the table with new creative ideas about Tag, which is phenomenal. These guys have a lot to offer beyond just their faces—they know what's cool for our consumer, and they like the product. Do you just want to put someone's face on the can and leave it at that? Or do you want to get them involved? Consumers see brands that just pay someone to be on the bottle—they really are getting savvier."
The celebrities will be involved with Tag's marketing efforts going forward. "This event is a kickoff for the campaign and our marketing plans. It was a party to really celebrate these three guys and the work they've done to this point," Kasvikas said.
