Five Wits

Brand Strategy & Copywriting

Challenges

• Competition for premium haircare is high
• Strong social media strategies are winning across all audiences
• Small product range
• Limited marketing budget
• Biggest efficacy/product difference is between salon vs. drugstore. (Not between salon brands)

Key Differentiators

• New York City. Five Wits was developed over time in a well-established Manhattan salon. The formula was developed in collaboration with demanding and particular New Yorkers. (Because if you want honest feedback, you ask a New Yorker.)
• Aroma. The founder, Joey Silvestera, worked directly with luxury scent experts to develop two custom scents that facilitate a light, but sensory experience in the shower. (pepo + olive; fig + amber. Both smell amazing.)
• Hotels/Fitness Centers. Five Wits has gotten a strong footing as the product of choice for high-end hotels and health clubs, including The Roxy in Manhattan and Life Time.
• Joey Silvestera (founder/owner). Joey's approachable aesthetic and cool personality have been major factors in the success of his salon and haircare line. With a lowkey approach to celebrity and NYC beauty connections, the Five Wits brand would do well to mirror and extend his reach.
• The Blackstones Collective (salon). The salon where Five Wits was developed is a known secret among celebrity clientele (including Chloë Sevigny, Hamish Bowles, Helen Mirren, Paul Banks, and Helena Christensen) for nailing NYC street style. Additionally, the salon has built a friendly network of fashion models, photographers, and influencers who could be tapped for modeling or social media engagement.
• Simplicity. The products, lines, and categories are not fussy or complicated. Joey's philosophy around haircare is to help his clients stop listening to marketing and start listening to their hair.
• Design. Five Wits packaging was simple, elegant, and straightforward.
• Commitment to Sustainability. Joey proactively works to minimize the amount of plastic used in containers, promote recycling, and minimize the impact that Five Wits products have on the planet.

Insights

• There is a nice overlap between a small product range, sustainability, and high-end curation. Using this lens, the small product line becomes a strength, and not a weakness.
• Audiences are experiencing marketing overwhelm. Almost every company has a haircare quiz or complex numeric system for buyers to navigate through to find their particular product.
• Audiences are being way oversold on the differences and impact between premium products.
• Positioned as a challenger brand, Five Wits is more likely to get cut-thru in the sea of noise.
• Long-term brand maintenance will be easier managed, if it is tonally similar to Joey's natural speaking style.
• In a clutter-filled market, straightforward products feel easy and luxurious.