Why Suave Is Leaning Into Comedy and Social Content to Drive Gen Z Growth

Why It Matters

It shows that legacy consumer brands can regain relevance and capture younger spend by marrying affordable, high‑quality products with platform‑specific, entertainment‑first content, reshaping marketing playbooks across the industry.

Key Takeaways

• Suave pivots to social‑first, comedy‑driven campaigns for Gen Z.
• New exfoliating body washes feature luxe scents, sulfate‑free formulas.
• TikTok favors creator‑led claims; Meta rewards longer‑form entertainment.
• Campaign “Don’t smell like your ex” drives high shares and engagement.
• Multi‑brand portfolio enables parallel strategies for younger and legacy shoppers.

Summary

Suave, a legacy drugstore hair‑care brand owned by Evermark, is abandoning traditional TV in favor of a fully social, comedy‑driven strategy aimed at Gen Z. The shift centers on a new line of exfoliating body washes that combine sulfate‑free, luxury‑scented formulas with an affordable price point, a product mix validated through consumer research.

The campaign, titled “Don’t smell like your ex,” leverages platform‑specific creative: TikTok relies on low‑fi creator claims and trend‑aligned hooks, while Meta runs 30‑second entertainment spots and Snapchat delivers high‑engagement short videos. Results show the brand exceeding KPI benchmarks, with over 500 organic shares and strong view‑through rates, and Snapchat outperforming its benchmarks by 2×.

Rachel Bame, CMO of Evermark, highlighted that the thrift‑shop narrative—exchanging “ex‑smell” items for fresh Suave scents—generated both humor and product relevance. She noted that TikTok’s algorithm favors behind‑the‑scenes footage and creator‑driven claims, whereas Meta’s audience stays engaged with longer storytelling. The brand also maintains traditional lines, such as sulfate‑free hair care for core consumers, to avoid alienating loyal shoppers.

The initiative illustrates how heritage brands must adopt challenger‑brand mindsets, using entertainment to cut through Gen Z’s scroll while preserving legacy appeal through diversified portfolios. Success on social platforms signals a broader industry shift toward data‑driven, platform‑tailored content as the primary driver of growth for value‑oriented consumer goods.

Original Description

Evermark CMO Rachel Behm unpacks how a recent social-first campaign for Suave is winning new Gen Z customers craving entertainment, including episodic and comedic marketing content. She also discusses the idea of reframing the value of Evermark brands, including ChapStick and Q-tips, as smart luxury in order to capture shoppers eager to trade down to cheaper, drugstore brands amid economic anxiety.