Pantene recently launched a limited-edition “Unexpired Pantene” collection with TikTok creator Alix Earle, capitalizing on a viral moment that drove significant sales lifts for the brand, per WWD.

The collaboration stems from Earle’s December TikTok video, in which she questioned why expired products of the P&G-owned brand at her family home made her hair “softer than it’s ever felt.” The 23-second video garnered over 7 million views and sparked discussions about drugstore versus prestige hair care products.

“Over the past few years, I’ve put a lot of stress on what the ‘fanciest’ products I could use are, thinking those are what would ultimately be best for my hair,” said Earle, who has 7.4 million TikTok followers. “When I used the old Pantene in my mom’s house, I realized my hair felt so good.”

Following the viral video, several Pantene bestsellers, including its Pro-V collection, experienced sales increases exceeding 20%.

Product and Marketing Strategy

The limited-edition collection features a mystery shampoo and conditioner duo in white-and-gold packaging displaying the opening quote from Earle’s viral video. The products will initially be available through a sweepstakes on Pantene’s website before retailing at $9.99 each.

“What Alix did was naturally supercharge a conversation that was happening online, and our team activated very quickly,” Rob Reiss, VP of North America Hair and Disruptive Innovation at P&G Beauty, said in a statement. “We knew that the magic in that post was Alix.”

A recent WeArisma report indicates that influencer and creator content generate up to 19 times higher EMV than brand-owned accounts in the beauty industry. According to the report, beauty brands receive exponential returns through influencer partnerships, reaching up to 26 times more consumers through impressions and achieving engagement rates that surpass brand-owned channels by up to 83 times.