Company: KMS California
Agency: Warschawski Public Relations
Timeframe: October 2005 to April 2006
Texas folklorist James Frank Dobie once offered this pithy observation on the lethal consequences of conformity: Conform and be dull.
Earlier this year, Dobie's philosophy was adopted by KMS California, whose haircare product line is used by the salon industry. No, KMS California did not encourage its
salon stylists to let loose with nonconformist haircuts on unsuspecting patrons. Instead, the company sought new spokespeople with unique styles and personalities.
The promotion was dubbed "I Am KMS California" and it sought to locate a half-dozen "open-minded, multi-faceted" people across the U.S. and Canada whose mindframe and
appearance would personify the various aspects of the KMS California line of shampoos, conditioners, treatments and styling products.
According to Sue Hilger, vice president of marketing at KMS California: "Our goal was to go to the public and say: 'We should not tell you what you should look like - you
should tell us what you want to look like.' We wanted to draw out individualism and encourage people to express themselves."
KMS California, working with Warschawski Public Relations, devised "I Am KMS California" as a casting call competition. Contestants were asked to submit up to three
photographs of themselves and an essay of 250-1,000 words describing how they freely express themselves in the course of their daily activities. A Web site, http://www.iamkmscalifornia.com, was set up and the entry period was open between February 1 and March 31 (the program itself was in
planning for four months before the Web site went live).
Shooting Stars
The competition brought out more than 7,000 entrants. While the quantity of essays was somewhat staggering, the variety of life stories that poured in was equally
astonishing.
"We had a lot of interesting characters," recalls Amy Christopher, senior vice president at Warschawski. "We had one young woman who was a descendant of Arab royalty. We had
another person who was a distant relative of Elvis Presley. We had jazz musicians and immigrants from all over the world. We had one woman who told us how she was taken from her
childhood home at 11 and was placed in her uncle's care. As she grew up, she started developing an interest in modeling and fashion shows, and that led to her seeking a career as
a professional model."
One entrant stood out for Hilger. "One finalist wrote about his respect for his mom," she recalls. "It pulled at our heartstrings. It was memorable in the way he described
how difficult it was for his mom, who was a single mother, to raise him."
Out of the 7,000 entries, the competition was narrowed down to 18 finalists. For this part of the promotion, KMS California and Warschawski opted to turn up the star wattage
and bring in celebrity judges to determine the winners. Three celebrity judges were recruited: Jess Zaino, host of "Modern Girls' Guide to Life" on The Style Network, and
Lisa and Brittny Gastineau, the mother and daughter stars of "The Gastineau Girls" reality show on E! Entertainment Television.
While Zaino and the Gastineau Girls might not have generated chimes of familiarity with many people, Hilger felt they set the right vibe. "We wanted to get celebrities who are
all about self-expression and individuality and being provocative," she explains.
New York Minute
One could imagine that a competition named "I Am KMS California" would have its finals at a West Coast venue. Instead, it was decided to host the finals at the Nokia
Theatre in the New York's Times Square. For Warschawski's Christopher, the East Coast location made perfect sense.
"Times Square is really the crossroads of the world," she explains. "The Nokia Theatre provided us with a location that's dead center in Times Square. It is New York's
hottest event destination, as named by New York Magazine."
The 18 finalists, who were required to present themselves on stage as part of the judging, included the aforementioned young man who was raised by his single mother. "She came
with him to New York and his story had half of the audience in tears," says Hilger. "Unfortunately, he was not one of our six winners."
The winners were an eclectic group: a professional dancer with a degree in earth and atmospheric science, a classical pianist who also plays 15 other instruments, a rock singer
from the tiny Kansas village of Haysville, a self-described "happy-go-lucky guy" with a passion for baseball and psychology magazines, a competitive bodybuilder who is also the
first college graduate in his family (he has a degree in education), and the previously cited descendant of Arab royalty who defines herself as an opera singer and comedienne with
a talent for nonprofit fundraising.
The winning six entries were announced on April 27. Christopher was highly satisfied with the depth and scope of press coverage.
"We had fantastic response," she says. "Teen Vogue, Self, Essence, Ladies Home Journal, Elle, Glamour and Allure covered it. We also received trade coverage in
DNR, American Salon and Modern Salon, among others. It was very important for us to reach the trades along with the consumer media."
Hilger adds she is still getting press hits from across the Net and from local newspapers serving the communities where the winners live. "It's been a really interesting mix,"
she says, noting KMS California is considering turning the competition into an annual event.
Contacts: Sue Hilger, 443.577.5116; Amy Christopher, [email protected].
Lessons Learned: Booking Celebrity Judges
If you want to spice up your event with celebrity power, here are some red carpet tips when reaching for the stars:
- Everyone is an A-list star, baby! It might be tactless to point out that the Gastineau Girls are not in the same stellar plateau as, say, Brad and Angelina. But
KMS California promoted their appearance as if they were visiting royalty. Stardom is a state of mind, and it doesn't matter whether your celebrity is an Oscar winner or a
reality show participant.
- The stars are all around us. If you can't get a Hollywood personality to show up, look locally for your celebrities. In many markets, the anchors on local TV news and
the hosts of drive time radio shows have enough high-visibility to generate a sense of excitement. Plus, having local media figures on your celebrity panel will most likely
ensure quality coverage on the stations where these homegrown celebrities work.
- Don't skimp on the star treatment. If you are going to have a celebrity at your event, treat that person like a celebrity. Expecting the celebrity to arrange his or
her own transportation or lodging is tacky. Make the arrangements, and be prepared to spend some extra money on the highest quality services and surroundings. Top-notch
treatment will give you strong cred and help you if you need to book the celebrity again.