Vidal Sassoon rolls out digital initiative

The campaign, which also enlists MSN for online support, includes the creation of a virtual stylist to answer questions live through an instant messaging window which directly parallels the MSN chat window.

“When you enter a salon normally, you are supposed to be guided and advised,” said Yann Lombard-Platet, managing director of Nurun China, the agency behind the campaign. “So we implemented this feature into our website to bring an offline concept to life”.

The online salon has areas showcasing specific topics: latest fashion trends, hairstyles, products, stylists’ blogs and online games.

Vidal Sassoon is also establishing the Midnight Salon in HiPiHi, a Chinese equivalent of Second Life, to drive further awareness and develop a relationship between the visitors and the brand.

The campaign will continue to run in the next three to four months, and will be supported by television commercials and public relations events.