For The Love Of Beards

Running the same commercial for 10 years would be unheard of. Running the same print ad would bore readers to quickly turn the page. The same radio spot? Ugh, not this again. Finding an idea that can interest a country for a decade isn’t easy, but when it’s done right, it can become a movement. The Wahl Facial Hair Friendly Cities Tour is an annual pilgrimage organized by HY on behalf of our client Wahl that has stood the test of time. The concept may stay relatively similar, but each year, it evolves. Each year, it takes on new cities. Each year, it creates buzz.

Now in its 10th year, the tour kicked off in Philadelphia where Wahl’s 30-foot mobile barbershop set up shop at the Philadelphia Beard Festival (PBF). Wahl offered free beard grooming, hosted a friendly beard competition and kicked off the annual search for the best facial hair in the country, something we call Man of The Year.

Now known as the ‘City of Beardly Love’, Philly ranked No. 1 in Wahl’s Facial Hair Friendly Research Study that examines social conversations for facial hair positivity. What made this year’s victory different from years past was the overwhelming response from the women of Philadelphia. No, they weren’t growing beards, but they sure do appreciate them. On a national level, 58 percent of women prefer men with facial hair over a clean-shaven face. Millennial women showed a particular panache with a 71 percent preference. Great news for men and women alike, the PBF included a Bearded Speed Dating event which aroused some follicular pheromones. The first stop on our tour created quite the buzz receiving more than 290 million impressions.

To learn more about our work for Wahl, including past tour events like the sponsoring of Washington Nationals Pitcher Gio Gonzalez’s facial hair, check out our Wahl Grooming Case Study. Contact us at [email protected] to see how we can create buzz for you.