Rock rivalry

If you can’t make it, fake it

What?: Nivea deodorant has created a fictional five-piece girlband as part of its sponsorship of new ITV drama Rock Rivals – a fictional talent show that’s a mix of Footballers’ Wives and the X Factor. A series of ads showing the girlband rehearsing dance routines, filming videos and backstage will air around the show.

The band is presented as a mix of both the Spice Girls and Girls Aloud. Each girl (Katie, Erin, Jenn, Amy and Jemma) represents a different deodorant available within the Nivea range. Nivea is also offering up the chance to become a Rock Rival. Visitors to the accompanying website can enter a competition to win the chance to record a song in a top studio simply by entering their details online.

So what?: Trojan horse bands have been tried before, notably Honeyshot, a girlband created by Saatchi’s youth content arm Gum, who were ‘caught’ pushing Shockwaves hair gel. This is a far gentler concept, however, and taps the all-girl-togetherness of the successful Boots Christmas ‘Here Come The Girls’ commercials. It’s interesting how bands get ‘found out’ as manufactured. Just because it’s not deeply credible doesn’t always mean it can’t be fun.

“More smell of the underarm than sound of the underground, this campaign utilises the elements of Girls Aloud without the associated costs. Unfortunately, without Cheryl and co. there ‘s no real music or background info to create empathy with the band”
Giles Fitzgerald, Deputy Editor, Five Eight

www.nivea.co.uk