Dive Brief:
- Herbal Essences today (Oct. 15) launched a new campaign, “Scent Traps,” that enlists “Love Island” personality Amaya Espinal, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
- The effort features Espinal in a series of videos inspired by infomercials of the 1990s and 2000s and includes a social media sweepstakes that will see the brand give out Scent Trap kits.
- Created by Grey with support from Omnicom PR Group, “Scent Traps” gives a reality TV-powered spin on a style of social media post known as “thirst traps” while updating the brand’s suggestive marketing for new audiences.
Dive Insight:
Procter & Gamble’s Herbal Essences is refreshing the idea of “thirst traps” — photos shared, usually on social media, for the purpose of spurring desire — as “scent traps,” an olfactory take on a cultural idea whose time might have passed. The effort taps into the brand’s iconic scents and their connection to memory and emotion, per research shared by the brand.
“This campaign captures the essence of what Herbal has always been known for—playfulness, nostalgia, and the unforgettable power of scent,” said Robert Reiss, vice president of Herbal Essences North America, in a statement.
A 15-second “Scent Traps” video features Espinal — the breakout star of the most recent season of reality hit “Love Island” — in a gauzy, pink-hued studio where she stands in the shower, flirts with a mannequin and leaves a scent trap in a paramour’s wallet. The spots pay homage to infomercials of the ‘90s and ‘00s and nod to a fictional “Herbal Essences Hair Shopping Network.” The creative, which spans digital and OOH, is inspired by retro TV, pop art and bold fashion.
Consumers can visit the brand’s website for a chance to win a Scent Trap kit that includes shampoo, conditioner, a mini scent diffuser and a “Tips and Tricks” booklet. The kit includes the brand’s Rose Hips shampoo, a bottle of which is sold every two seconds, per sales data shared by the brand.
While flirty and playful, the campaign takes a different approach than the brand’s memorable ads from the ‘90s and 2000s that featured women moaning suggestively while using the product — a template the brand in 2014 utilized with singer Nicole Scherzinger.
Brands including Bud Light and Dr. Squatch have fashioned ads after infomercials, while others, including Dunkin, Doritos and DoorDash have gotten suggestive in 2025. Meanwhile, General Mills parodied “Love Island” and brands including Motto by Hilton and Temptations have tapped other personalities from the show.
Parent company P&G saw organic sales grow in fiscal year 2025, with hair care products up low single digits. The company continues to emphasize performance and value in its advertising, according to President and CEO Jon Moeller.
“We want our ads to be as entertaining as they can be, but not to the extent that they compromise right to the heart of the matter performance and value message,” the executive said on a call discussing the earnings.
