
Unilever’s personal care brand SheaMoisture has rolled out a pop-up experience to highlight its products during humid weather, which can cause frizz and dryness in hair.
The brand launched the Shea Summer Salon pop-up from June 13 to 15 at Stackt Market in Toronto, and plans to re-open it from July 13 to 15. At the event, visitors can receive personalized hair consultations from expert stylists at partner salon Jou Jou Hair, who will inform them about the best care and washing products for their hair. They will also be able to choose from a menu of hairstyles to get a new look. Additionally, there will be on-site photo opportunities for guests to show their new style.
SheaMoisture is promoting the activation through Meta (Instagram and Facebook) and is also giving away free products in specific hours on the days the activation is rolling out.
PHD handles media buying and Langton is responsible for the experience and creative.
Maureen Kitheka, SheaMoisture’s brand Manager, tells Media in Canada that the pop-up was designed not only to feature the brand’s new hair products, but also to educate consumers on how to care for their textured hair (wavy, curly and coily).
“While we are experiencing an increase of players in the textured hair care category, providing a myriad of options for consumers to choose from, the very same consumers remain confused on what is best for their hair,” Kitheka says. “We are taking the next step to educate consumers outside of their shopping environments instore or online by allowing them the opportunity to discuss their concerns with hair experts, get hair regimen recommendations, and also learn how to rock different styles.”

SheaMoisture is rooted in the Black community, “which is where we started and where we will always be, because that’s our core consumer,” says Kitheka. However, with this activation, the brand aims to attract a wider audience outside this ethnic cohort, especially here in Canada where two out of three women have textured hair.
Kitheka says summer is the ideal time to open the pop-up because it is peak styling season, and many customers find it difficult to maintain maximum hair care as the weather changes and their styles vary. “We also have expanded our portfolio of styling products over the last year, and it is the perfect time to showcase how these products can be used singularly or in combination to achieve different styles,” she adds.
The activation is also in line with the brand’s positioning, which seeks to fill the gap in the beauty industry for textured hair consumers. “They are still underserved because the beauty industry did not cater to their hair care needs for a very long period of time,” Kitheka says. “This is especially true for those with tighter curl patterns, majority of whom are from the Black community. Even today, these consumers in Canada have to travel long distances to find their products or pay hefty prices to get access to hair stylists who understand what their hair needs.”
Unilever acquired SheaMoisture in 2018 to expand its beauty and wellness portfolio. Since then, the brand has been growing its offering and backing its launches with activations. In 2022, for example, it launched the “Be Your Beautiful” pop-up in downtown Toronto. The four-day experience featured musicians, artists, community leaders, media personalities, speakers and influencers, local community suppliers and entrepreneurs. Hair styling services using the brand’s products were also available.
“On this particular execution, we heard consumers loud and clear on the fact that they love it every time we create these pop up experiences for them and they get to interact with the people behind the brand and also get access to hair stylists,” Kitheka says.