Head and Shoulders alerts public to dandruff threat with ceiling cams

You may have seen or heard of marketing campaigns that are annoying or even offensive in their own right, but it's not very often that you'll see one that aims to notify the viewer of a personal annoyance: in this case, that they're suffering from a socially unacceptable hair-based ailment. That's not to say that Head and Shoulders' photo booth-based dandruff detecting campaign is an entirely benevolent one, but we appreciate the thought nonetheless. Saatchi & Saatchi was the agent behind the idea of placing a camera into the ceiling of British photo booths in order to deposit a photo of the recipient's hairline, with the obvious intention of selling their client more shampoo. Although the British may be used to 24/7 surveillance nearly everywhere they travel, at least in those cases they can fool themselves into believing that the only eyes on the other end are those of a bored security guard. With the dandruff detector, the suspicion is far more personal: how is an innocent Briton to know that information on their bald patch won't be surreptitiously stored and resurface years later in the form of anti-balding marketing leaflets through their door? Yes, that was a joke, but we're sure there are still going to be people that won't take lightly to being told by a photo booth that they should wash their hair more often. As they'll no doubt argue, isn't getting a photo of one's face traumatic enough? Personally, we know exactly what to bring if we ever had to visit one of these -- that tin foil hat hasn't failed us yet.

[Via Core77]

[adrian @ Dec 31st 2006 12:49PM]

What happened to just looking the mirror?

[Mike @ Dec 31st 2006 1:53PM]

It's not that easy anymore...

[david @ Dec 31st 2006 2:06PM]

Just bring a post-it to stick over the ceiling lens

[Ryan @ Dec 31st 2006 2:20PM]

looking in a mirror isn't high-tech enough don't you know.

[SOCOMRAIDER @ Dec 31st 2006 3:45PM]

Well, at least the girl in the picture is cute.

[Bradicus @ Dec 31st 2006 3:54PM]

I'm suprised it doesn't inconspicously drop some synthetic dandruff from there or just digitally add some to the photos.

[Bradicus @ Dec 31st 2006 3:57PM]

Also, let's see some more pictures of that fine dandruff princess!

[treetrunk @ Dec 31st 2006 5:22PM]

"Although the British may be used to 24/7 surveillance nearly everywhere they travel, at least in those cases they can fool themselves into believing that the only eyes on the other end are those of a bored security guard."

Was that sentence really necessary? Quite apart from being highly opinionated, it's also very inaccurate. Yes, there are security cameras around, but they're not even remotely close to being "nearly everywhere", and the vast majority of those which do exist are privately owned. If people and businesses want to protect their property with them, why shouldn't they? And exactly who else's eyes are "on the other end" that we should be worried about?

[spaceman @ Dec 31st 2006 5:38PM]

treetrunk: Hmm, you either don't live in the UK, or you don't live in a city, or you just don't look up very often! FYI, most of the CCTVs belong to the local councils!

[treetrunk @ Dec 31st 2006 5:52PM]

spaceman: I do live in a city in the UK and have a perfectly functional neck. I can't find any relevant figures to back me up, but was under the impression that the number of privately owned cameras far outnumbered those owned by councils. Certainly, in a typical city-centre street one might see several council-owned cameras, but no more than could be found in a single large shop.

[Name @ Dec 31st 2006 9:01PM]

I don't have dandruff but when i use head and shoulders i get dandruff. That's why i never use it, and I know a few other people who has the same effect. =/

[Ricardo @ Jan 1st 2007 3:34AM]

I predict most of this material will make it to Nino Quincampoix's photo albums.

[pirco @ Jan 1st 2007 7:22PM]

this would have been a great idea if the camera was installed in the floor.
especially in scottland...

[Lily @ Jan 17th 2007 8:56PM]

nice one!.. i have a whole website about dandruff, please check it out when you have free time..:)

Dandruff Home Remedy

[Lily @ Jan 17th 2007 8:59PM]

oops!..:))

http://dandruff.net-buy-e.com

[bones @ Mar 29th 2007 12:08PM]

You can prevent dandruff using many cheap and effective home remedies.Warm coconut oil, lemon juice, apple cidar vinegar are other home remedies at http://www.wellnesstalk.org/dandruff.html will prevent further problems.