Instead of biscuits and gravy or meatloaf, this old school diner is serving up Pantene products that promise to turn abused and overworked hair into luscious locks.
Acting as the waitress and beauty consultant in this period-perfect 1950s restaurant is Kelsea Ballerini, brand ambassador and multiple Grammy nominee, who zeroes in on the source of the problem in a new 60-second ad.
“If all that bumpin,’ teasin,’ and bleachin’ has left you with some country fried hair, well come get some fixins’,” she says in Pantene’s new work from Grey New York.
The campaign, “Fixins for Country Fried Hair,” leans into the artist’s country music heritage while leveraging the Yellowstone effect that continues to put countless Americans in thrall of cowboy culture and all things Western.
The country lifestyle “is having a moment in fashion and pop culture,” Robert Reiss, vice president of Pantene North America, told ADWEEK. “This is an important cultural moment to take advantage of, and it’s a very natural fit for us.”
The brand has worked with Ballerini since 2023, with the artist often speaking about her “hair journey” and the damage that’s been done from years of performance-level styling. The singer is currently on a global arena tour in support of her latest record, Patterns.
“We’ve been listening to consumers, and we know that 80% of women experience hair damage,” Reiss said. “We want to continue to tell those truthful hair stories, and Kelsea has been honest about her struggles with her hair.”
Ballerini has put her hair through “bleach, heat, color—you name it, and Pantene always brings it back,” she said in a statement. “Right now, I am loving the return of Southern-inspired style and glam, and this campaign is all about having fun with your look, embracing your roots, and giving your hair the fixins’ that it deserves.”
Legacy with a twist
The ad still features the 80-year-old Proctor & Gamble brand’s signature stunning models with silky tresses, a mainstay of the haircare category. But Pantene also shows the flip side of blow drying, dyes, and other popular styling methods via two diner customers who scan the menu and say they’re “looking for something healthy.”
