SHELTON, Conn. — Edgewell Personal Care announced this week that Schick is launching a new brand positioning that challenges the grooming industry status quo with the debut of “Be You. No One Else Can,” a campaign that celebrates men as they are and encourages them to embrace their individuality. The rebrand includes a new logo, minimalist packaging, redesigned website (Schick.com), video-led creative and digital-first activations on Reddit and TikTok that give men a platform to join the conversation and tell their unique stories.

Schick’s new positioning is informed by national research commissioned by the brand, which found that 81% of men would prefer brands to celebrate them for who they are instead of asking them to change.

As a thought leader in the grooming space, Schick commissioned a national survey to inform their consumer-first approach. The data revealed that 85% of men prefer to see real, everyday people depicted in ads, a message Schick took to heart. Schick worked with creative agency Partners & Spade and Academy Award nominated film director Mike Mills (C’Mon C’Mon, 20th Century Women) to partner on the brand storytelling featuring real interviews with men from across the country, capturing unscripted content that champions authenticity. Rather than featuring renowned celebrities, actors or models, the campaign spotlights everyday men because Schick is a brand for every kind of man. The rebrand brings Schick’s legacy of listening to men to life and represents it in a new, different and engaging way.

The ad spots feature Mills’ signature human-centric approach, bringing heartfelt, personal stories of men to life. The unfiltered spots are presented via a minimalist, black and white presentation, revealing the extraordinary within the ordinary and celebrating men with quirks, flaws, passions and everything else that makes them who they are.

“Shave category ads have put men in narrowly defined boxes for many years, and what we heard with our survey is that men want this type of advertising to depict real individuals. Grooming plays a key role in self-expression, so we’re reshaping the category narrative by focusing on authentic representation to resonate with our existing and broader target audience,” said Matt Bell, Senior Vice President of Schick North America. “Our survey also revealed that over 60% of men are not clean shaven, so we’re leading the charge by offering an extensive product portfolio that is designed to fit individual hair and skin needs. Contrary to traditional ads, our product will not be featured in our hero film as we continue to push the boundaries of category expectations. Knowing Partners & Spade are synonymous with breakthrough creative strategy, we felt they were the ideal partner.”

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with an iconic brand with so much history, and to start an important conversation that needs to be had in 2022. By listening to men who are not always heard in traditional advertising, we realized that individuality and self-expression meant something completely different to every man. It was a poignant and fascinating process, sometimes funny, sometimes heavy, but always authentic,” said Andy Spade, Creative Director of Partners & Spade. “What we learned from this creative process is that men have such varied preferences when it comes to expressing themselves – how they choose to groom and shave, is very deliberate in how they wish to present themselves to the world. Our non-traditional creative approach captures this sentiment in a nuanced and unexpected way. We want people to listen more to each other. We think it’s what the world needs right now.”

Additional findings from Schick’s national survey include the following:

• Majority of men (7 in 10) wish they could see men that look like them in personal care ads
• 75% of consumers look for brands that empower them to be their unique self
• Personal grooming and facial hair contributes to freedom of expression for nearly 7 in 10 men
• 80% of men believe that they gain a sense of confidence after grooming

Schick is also taking to social media to continue listening to men in real time with the intention of leveraging insights in future communication. On Reddit, the brand is sparking a discussion with an Ask Me Anything (AMA) series that encourages men to share their unique stories. The brand will also launch a TikTok Hashtag Challenge asking consumers “What is something people would be surprised to know about you?” #SchickAsks starting March 10.

For more than 100 years, Schick has had a legacy of crafting trusted tools that meet its consumers’ distinct and diverse needs. View the campaign ad spot here, and visit Schick.com to learn more about the campaign and Schick’s portfolio of products.