Dupe culture is prevalent, and OLAPLEX is the most duped brand on TikTok with the hashtag #OLAPLEXDUPE with over 58 million views and #OLAPLEX with more than 2.5 billion views. While imitation is the highest form of flattery, the brand wanted to have fun with the fact that OLAPLEX can be imitated but never replicated.
OLAPLEX showcased that it truly is “undupable.” Credited with creating the bond-building category, when a brand pioneers a white space, it opens the door to imitators. The OLAPLEX technology and end product delivers superior results, it is only natural to see an increase in brands trying to replicate the product, which isn’t possible.
The goals of the campaign were to:
In a bold move aimed at challenging dupe culture, OLAPLEX sought to craft a truly unique campaign, set to flip the concept of “dupe” on its head. Enter OLADUPÉ N°160, a fictitious product designed to dupe consumers into believing OLAPLEX could be replicated (spoiler: it can’t!). The ingenious strategy involved dispatching PR packages to influencers under the guise of OLADUPÉ, and building anticipation among potential dupe-buyers. These influencers, some in on the joke and others genuinely duped, unboxed and reviewed OLADUPÉ across social media, creating an air of excitement and curiosity.
OLADUPÉ's allure was built by its near-identical appearance to OLAPLEX, claiming to possess the same patented technology and highly efficacious formulas. TikTokers were drawn to the new product, and eagerly awaited the chance to try OLADUPÉ, unaware that the only entity capable of duping OLAPLEX was OLAPLEX itself. The campaign strategically targeted Gen Z and Millennial women, aiming to educate them about OLAPLEX's “undupable” products.
The innovative and creative approach not only challenged the conventional narrative but also utilized humor and surprise to engage and captivate the audience across TikTok.
OLAPLEX partnered with haircare professionals, including colorist Tracey Cunningham, and hair influencers, including Lelani Green, Yesly Dimate and Audrey Boos to bring the campaign to life. Taylor Madison, a well-recognized celebrity duper, also featured OLADUPÉ on her TikTok channel.
Editorially, the campaign launched with a WWD exclusive along with features and recognition across consumer and trade editorial and viral social media coverage.
The OLADUPÉ campaign strategically harnessed TikTok’s love of timely trends, by tapping into the vitality and virality of dupe culture. OLAPLEX astutely recognized the prevalence of dupe culture as a significant trend within the beauty and skincare community on the platform, and creatively set out to utilize it to their advantage..
TikTok thrives on creativity and authenticity, and OLADUPÉ fully embraced this. The campaign unfolded as an unconventional, humorous narrative, blending creativity with authenticity. The unexpected twist, where influencers were both in on the joke and genuinely surprised, resonated with TikTok's ethos of genuine and original content. TikTok is also built on community engagement and participation. OLADUPÉ actively involved influencers and users in a collective experience. By inviting influencers to unbox and review the fictitious product, the campaign spurred participation and created a shared experience among creators and viewers alike, fostering a sense of community around the brand's story.
The OLADUPÉ campaign, from launch to reveal, saw impressive results and showcased OLAPLEX's ability to redefine industry conversations.
With a total of 79 million views and 659,000 engagements, the campaign achieved a median organic engagement rate of 3.76%, indicating a high level of audience interaction and interest. The hashtag #OLAPLEXDUPE, despite the inherent impossibility of duplicating OLAPLEX products, amassed over 30.4 million views, becoming a testament to the campaign's impact and the audience's engagement with the unconventional narrative. The campaign also saw over 430 posts from over 200 creators.
OLAPLEX was the #1 brand for earned media value in September 2023. Viewers showcased positive sentiment, and media also embraced the campaign, contributing to its overall success with over 3 million press mentions as of October 31. OLADUPÉ not only challenged perceptions but also positioned OLAPLEX as an innovative and unassailable leader in the beauty industry, proving that sometimes the best way to stand out is to create a dupe of yourself.
Editorial media also took note of the campaign, with coverage in Women’s Wear Daily, CEW, Behind the Chair, Business of Fashion, Retail Dive, Ad Age, Beauty Matter, American Salon and more.
