‘Feeling PolyGlamorous’? You Will After Seeing Drybar’s New Ad
Everyone wants to have more than one to play with…hair care products, that is. If your mind started to wander elsewhere then Drybar, with the help of Razorfish and Scheme Engine’s director Kimberly Stuckwisch, fulfilled the tongue-in-cheek brief perfectly. The hair care category is busy and the market is “oversaturated with the same ol’ boring ads,” says Kimberly. Razorfish had other ideas for Drybar, with Kimberly making their brief – “personality-driven females with earth –shattering hair, playing on the idea of double entendres” – come alive with a series of fun transitions and flirtatious performances.
Kimberly worked closely with the production designer, Natalie Makhovska, to create bold and stylish sets utilising colour theory to make them pop on camera. As the film shows the cast choosing and playing with multiple products, while sporting incredible hair, a teasing voice-over invites viewers to “pleasure themselves” with “more than one” (again, hair products!) and enter a ‘polyglamorous’ relationship for the sake of one’s hair.
“From the moment we met Kimberly, it was obvious she was the perfect fit for our project. Her boundless creativity and infectious energy lit up the room, and her meticulous attention to detail was evident from the initial briefing to the final wrap call. Working with Kimberly was not just productive but also a joy. Even with a tight timeline, she and her exceptional team at Scheme Engine tackled every challenge with a thoughtful, innovative approach. They scoured Europe to find top-tier talent and worked hand-in-hand with us to ensure every aspect of the production was flawless. There was so much to love about our 'polyGlamorous collab,” the Razorfish team says.
LBB sat down with Kimberly to learn about the cross-time zone teamwork that made this ad happen, how she created a playful mood on set that translated to the screen, and why she exclaimed ‘ALIGNED!’ frequently while shooting.
LBB> When you first heard the word ‘polyglamorous’, what kind of images and associations came to mind?
Kimberly> Honestly, one heck of a good time! Who doesn’t want to have a little fun, with more than one… hair product that is?! I know I do!
The term conjured images of the perfect tease, an immaculate blowout, and your most divine looks.
LBB> What was the brief like and how much room was there to put your own mark on it?
Kimberly> My friends at Razorfish provided an in-depth brief of what they were looking for: personality-driven females with earth-shattering hair, playing on the idea of double entendres. With the guidance of the creatives, I was allowed to explore my own style and design unique shots. We did, for example, singular, roaming camera moves that went from large wides to extreme hair closeups. I created clever transitions to propel the story forward and to connect our four female leads. Impeccable set design was a priority. I really enjoyed working with Razorfish to land on what our final four vignettes would be. We needed enough to convey the idea of ‘poly’, and to make the most of our :30 running time.
LBB> Tell us about working with Razorfish and what that collaboration was like.
Kimberly> It was nothing short of a dream! The team at Razorfish collaborated every step of the way. From the wardrobe, to the set design, to the casting. We were so aligned, I often screamed ‘ALIGNED’ on the set in an exuberant burst of joy after each decision. We were on the same page, throughout and I loved this teamwork.
LBB> Did you reach for any references or sources of inspiration when directing?
Kimberly> I drew a lot of inspiration for the colourful modern sets from Los Perez and Mathery. Both brilliantly explore colour theory in a never-before-seen way for advertising, putting the product at the forefront with incredibly playful characters.
LBB> The spot is all about celebrating experimentation and playfulness. How did you make those vibes come across during the shoot?
Kimberly> First and foremost, it is imperative to me that my sets are joyful. Dare I say the best 12 hours of your work life...?
I want every crew member to feel seen and believe their voice matters. I strive to create an atmosphere of playfulness and experimentation, even doing group breathing exercises and epic dance parties at the start of the day. It breaks the tension and sets the mood. So that when the talent arrives, there is an ease already built in. They feel the crew's energy, they feel my energy. Really, the playfulness starts at the beginning of the day and doesn't end until we call wrap.
LBB> The set looks really stylish and pops visually. Talk us through the prep and the shoot process - how did it go and how did it all come together?
Kimberly> My production designer Natalie Makhovska and I have a second language. I swear she can see directly into my brain. We didn't have a lot of time to design the sets, but I sent a tonne of references and we went back and forth for a week designing, really giving her space to create her magic. It's all about trust on a timeline like we had and I have to say, she freakin' nailed it! Her meticulous attention to detail and understanding of colour theory mimics my own. She met all the challenges with solutions. This woman could create a mind-blowing set with a toothpick and a hammer. Look out MacGyver! Natalie is coming for ya!
LBB> Did you run into any challenges while working on the campaign? How did you overcome them?
Kimberly> The biggest challenge was the many different time zones I had to communicate with daily. We filmed in Sofia, Bulgaria. I live in LA. My EP Jannie [McInnes] and the agency are in NYC. My producer Dolores [Salken] lives in Toronto, the DP, Kai [Blamey Nguyen], in the UK, Natalia (PD) and Yolanda [Armengol De Groot, wardrobe], are both from Spain, and our casting director was in Berlin. You get the picture, I'm sure. I don't think I slept for the two weeks of our limited prep. Each, however, brought their A-game and really were available to make the almost impossible possible! I owe it all to them.
The second challenge was casting, as you don't get a tonne of diversity with hair in Bulgaria. So, we cast locally as well as doing a wider search in Europe. We had sooooooo many submissions, but more is more! I am extremely pleased with the final picks, who really brought their own ‘PolyGlamorous’ spice.
LBB> What was your favourite part of working on the campaign?
Kimberly> The hair market is oversaturated with the same ol’ boring ads. Drybar/ Helen of Troy were amazing clients and, with their diverse products and innovation, set out to break through the noise. That's exactly the ethos I employ in all of my work. I LOVE combining forward-moving camerawork, transitions, and colourful sets with a clever innuendo... and this campaign tops them all! Every aspect of this campaign screamed ‘me’. It was a true pleasure being trusted by Razorfish to take this brilliant creative and get to put my own spark on it. That's ultimately everything a gal could ask for in an advertising campaign.
LBB> Is there anything else that you would like to share?
Kimberly> VOTE.
