Ad Age Marketer's Brief — Episode Summary

Episode Title: Why Suave is Leaning into Comedy and Social Content to Drive Gen Z Growth
Air Date: April 8, 2026
Host: Adrienne Pasquarelli (Senior Editor, Ad Age)
Guest: Rachel Bame (Chief Marketing Officer, Evermark: Suave, Q-Tips, Chapstick)

Episode Overview

This episode explores how Suave, a longstanding drugstore brand under Evermark, is reimagining its marketing to connect with Gen Z, leveraging social platforms and comedic storytelling. CMO Rachel Bame joins Adrienne Pasquarelli to discuss transitioning from traditional campaigns to social-first, entertainment-driven efforts—all while balancing the needs of loyal, older consumers and adapting to broader economic shifts.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shifting Suave to a Social-First, Comedy-Driven Approach

• From TV to Social Media: Suave transitioned away from classic TV campaigns (“no one could spot the difference between heads of hair…”) and now focuses entirely on social platforms for its Gen Z-targeting campaigns.
  • Quote (Rachel Bame, 02:24):
    “We’re actually having to behave more like a challenger brand to be invited into people's scroll… We need an angle of entertainment and storytelling.”
• Product & Platform Alignment: The move was rooted in both the creation of Gen Z-friendly products (e.g., exfoliating body washes in “gourmand fragrances”) and insights about younger audiences’ media habits.
  • Quote (Rachel Bame, 02:59):
    “First it was about having that product that we knew resonated with Gen Z, which we validated through consumer research. And then second was, okay, where are they watching media, how are they consuming it and what messaging is going to resonate.”

2. Platform Strategies and Content Experimentation

• Tailoring to Platforms:
  • TikTok: Creator/influencer-driven videos focusing on product benefits and “works as well as” or “smells as good as” claims resonate most. Lo-fi, trend-reactive hooks perform well.
  • Meta (Instagram, Facebook): Longer-form, entertainment-led ads (like a 30-second “Don’t Smell Like Your Ex” spot) retain viewer attention.
  • Snapchat: Outperforms benchmarks for younger demographics, effective for the body wash line.
  • Quote (Rachel Bame, 04:46):
    "Our 'works as well as' claims driven by creators telling the message…is what's working best for us on TikTok. On Meta is where we're seeing the brand retainment — our 30-second version is performing really well."
• Optimization in Real Time:
  • Constantly refining content, with new lo-fi intros and behind-the-scenes outtakes for TikTok.
  • Quote (Rachel Bame, 07:58):
    "Rather than have it be kind of the branded spot from the beginning, if we have a hook that ties much more to something that's going on as a social trend…those are doing really well."

3. Campaign Creative: “Don’t Smell Like Your Ex”

• Concept & Execution:
  • Set in a thrift shop, the campaign plays on Gen Z themes—breakups and thrifting—with humor: consumers trade in objects that “smell like their ex” for an upgrade to Suave’s new body wash.
  • Quote (Rachel Bame, 05:47):
    “People can come in and exchange their hoodie or candle…to get a Suave body wash and upgrade their scent... Don’t smell like regret. Smell like your exfoliating body wash.”
• Performance Metrics:
  • Surpassed engagement KPIs, with over 500 shares on paid ads—a rare indicator of positive reception and virality in advertising.
  • Quote (Rachel Bame, 06:50):
    “We are seeing phenomenal results…there’s been over 500 shares on pieces of paid advertising…people are really enjoying and feeling like they want to share.”

4. Balancing Old and New Audiences

• Maintaining Core Loyalty:
  • The comedic, entertainment-first creative still appeals to Suave's traditional base, while segmented product launches (like sulfate-free hair care for long-time users) ensure relevance for older demographics.
  • Quote (Rachel Bame, 09:21):
    “It’s less about awareness…and more about changing that perception.”
• Portfolio Advantages:
  • Separate communication strategies for differing demographics, leveraging Suave’s diversity in product lines.

5. Agency Collaborations & Execution

• Agency Partners:
  • Stella Rising: Paid media (long-term partnership)
  • Born Social: Creative for “Don’t Smell Like Your Ex”
  • Matter Energy: Creative work on hair care launches
  • Quote (Rachel Bame, 11:20):
    “Phenomenal women-led, women-owned organization…led us on this social first journey.”

6. Value Reframed: Competing with Luxury in a Tough Economy

• Smart Luxury Positioning:
  • As consumers “trade down,” Suave (and sibling brands) are repositioned as “smart luxury” options—offering prestige-like benefits at low prices.
  • Quote (Rachel Bame, 13:12):
    “Consumers…are trading down in price, but they are not trading down in expectations. So it is on us to reframe value not as cheap, but as smart luxury.”
• Brand Glow-Ups on the Way:
  • Teases major rebranding for Chapstick and Q-Tips:
    • New Chapstick format and Q-Tips innovation expected soon.
  • Quote (Rachel Bame, 19:39):
    “We will be entering a new format that people have been asking us for...and think about what innovation might be coming from Q Tips.”

7. Social Listening, Customer Engagement & Tech

• Customer Insights:
  • Active use of social listening and ratings/reviews monitoring (even adjusting for brand names becoming generic terms).
  • Predominantly human-powered engagement, with bots used for filtering/flagging.
  • Quote (Rachel Bame, 15:00):
    "With brands in the portfolio called Suave, Chapstick and Q Tips…social listening is difficult because those are brand names that people either use as normal words or for category cues."

8. Inspiration and CMO-to-CMO Insights

• Brand Admiration:
  • Gap and Levi’s cited for regaining relevance through entertainment and cultural integration.
  • Quote (Rachel Bame, 15:46):
    "Gap is one…borrowing social relevance from other people in the social sphere and pulling it back...Levi's...had a dated perception but...come out as something modern and relevant."
• Leadership Challenge:
  • Rachel would ask Pepsi’s CMO about maintaining strategic focus in a data- and AI-saturated market.
  • Quote (Rachel Bame, 18:43):
    “In a world where you can get your fingers on almost any piece of data...how do you keep the appropriate kind of high-level view?”

9. Navigating Economic and Supply Chain Challenges

• Pricing Pressures:
  • Daily discussions on tariffs and costs, but a core commitment to accessibility and price stability for mass consumers.
  • Quote (Rachel Bame, 17:38):
    “If I told you it was a non-factor I would be lying because it’s something that we discuss daily…”

Memorable Quotes

• On the Comedy-Driven Campaign:
  “Don’t smell like regret. Smell like your exfoliating body wash.”
  — Rachel Bame (05:47)

• On Virality & Engagement: “…there’s been over 500 shares on pieces of paid advertising…in this environment where you’re trying to get attention, sharing advertising is a sign this is something people are really enjoying.”
  — Rachel Bame (06:50)

• On “Smart Luxury”: “It is on us to reframe value not as cheap, but as smart luxury.”
  — Rachel Bame (13:12)

• On Platform Adaptation: “On Meta is where we're seeing the brand retainment—our 30-second version is performing really well…On TikTok, our 'works as well as' claims driven by creators…is what's working best."
  — Rachel Bame (04:46)

• On Social Listening for Household Name Brands: “With brands called Suave, Chapstick, and Q Tips...social listening is difficult because those are brand names that people use as normal words or category cues.”
  — Rachel Bame (15:00)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:24 — Suave’s challenger-brand attitude and shift to entertainment-first marketing
• 04:10–05:31 — Platform-specific content strategies for Suave
• 05:47 — Thrift shop setting for “Don’t Smell Like Your Ex” campaign
• 06:50 — Metrics and early results of the campaign
• 08:57 — Balancing Gen Z growth with loyalty among older brand users
• 11:20 — Agency partnerships and team structure
• 13:12 — Reframing drugstore brands as “smart luxury” in economic headwinds
• 15:00 — Social listening challenges for legacy brands
• 15:46 — Brands admired for cultural relevance (Gap, Levi’s)
• 17:38 — Economic and supply chain challenges to price accessibility
• 18:43 — CMO leadership in a data/AI-driven world
• 19:39 — Teasers about upcoming innovations for Chapstick and Q Tips

Final Notes

This episode is a vivid case study in how legacy brands can regain cultural relevance through humor, platform-native content, and a willingness to adapt both product and message for evolving audiences. Rachel Bame’s approach—grounded in research but open to playful experimentation—offers a blueprint for reshaping perceptions and driving engagement in a crowded, fast-moving consumer landscape.