Pantene has launched “Fixins for Country Fried Hair,” a new campaign starring brand ambassador and multiple Grammy nominee Kelsea Ballerini, in partnership with Grey New York. The 60-second spot blends Ballerini’s country music roots with the Western aesthetic currently trending in pop culture, highlighting the brand’s Damage Repair Collection as a remedy for heat- and color-related hair damage.
The campaign aims to position Pantene as both authentic and accessible, offering salon-like results “without the $90 price tag.” Targeting a broad, cross-generational audience, it taps into Ballerini’s wide appeal and the growing popularity of drugstore hair care.
Here’s what iSpot’s Creative Assessment platform revealed on actual viewer response to the :60 spot.
The Details:
- Across both the general population and Pantene’s core female audience, the :60 “Fixins for Country Fried Hair” emerged as the clear standout of the new Kelsea Ballerini campaign—outperforming in breakthrough, overall response, relatability, and its ability to drive consideration:
- 57% of all viewers reported more positive intent after a single exposure to the :60 cut to outpace hair advertising norms (past year) by +7 pts.
- Among women, 64% professed increased intent after seeing the long form (+9 pts over norm) vs. just 55% Top 2 Box for the :15 cut of “Fixins for Country Fried Hair.”
- 57% of all viewers reported more positive intent after a single exposure to the :60 cut to outpace hair advertising norms (past year) by +7 pts.
Among All Viewers:
Among Female Viewers:
- The :60 spot appealed quite well across age/gender, outpacing hair care one-year norms across the board other than M36-49 (among whom the spot met normative performance):
- The characters and visuals stole the show, but the benefits of the product(s) were still clear, with the creative persuading more successfully than the average category ad.
- Pantene branding was also at a level above benchmark.
- The characters and visuals stole the show, but the benefits of the product(s) were still clear, with the creative persuading more successfully than the average category ad.
- Regardless of ethnicity or income levels, the longer form was resoundingly more resonant:
- Although Ballerini and the Pantene models were a key source of engagement, viewer comments on the :60 reflect appreciation for a newly unique ad that conveyed a message of trust and efficacy quite successfully.
- Some men felt a bit left out but many still mentioned that they were customers or would consider purchasing.
- Although Ballerini and the Pantene models were a key source of engagement, viewer comments on the :60 reflect appreciation for a newly unique ad that conveyed a message of trust and efficacy quite successfully.
Sample comments on “Fixins for Country Fried Hair” :60
“I love everything about this—the vintage record player, the diner, the Western theme and music, the retro hairstyles, and the product itself. I will definitely try this product.”
Female 36-49
“Interesting ad. The girls all had beautiful, shiny hair. Great hair ad, extremely unique and one of a kind. I really enjoyed it.”
Female 50+
“This ad is a good ad to represent a product for those who need help with their hair, and I think that this ad brings attention to the complexities of the product.”
Male 16-20
“The ad was very creative and I loved the message. I also like how they included things for all age groups, like the modern theme, so it’s not for one targeted audience.”
Female 16-20
“It was fun to watch. I didn’t exactly retain much of the information. But when they gave them plates of the product, I couldn’t help but laugh thinking it was actually smart, since I wasn’t expecting that. It did make me think about the product and if maybe it would work in my own hair. The old style of the ad was refreshing as well.”
Female 16-20
“I loved the country vibes of this and the music choices and visual shots and just everything. I really love it. I don’t know if this product is also for males, but I’d try it.”
Male 21-35
“I like the product, but I thought that the ad itself was targeted more towards women. I like that particular product, but I’m a man, so as far as this commercial goes, it wouldn’t really motivate me to buy it. Otherwise I did think the commercial was cute and fun. Women would probably like it.”
Male 36-49
“I loved this ad. It advertises what it has to very well and the fact that they mention their brand started in the early 1900’s makes it more trustworthy. They do well in provoking that through the aesthetics of the ad.”
Female 16-20
“The Pantene ad was sleek and empowering. I liked how it showed strong, shiny hair and confident people. The visuals and music made it feel modern and inspiring.”
Male 36-49
“I am an African-American. There were no African-Americans in this ad. It gave me the impression that this ad is for non-African-American hair care.”
Male 50+
“I think it was very eye-catching and made me want to purchase the product for my hair. Using the featured models really caught my eye as it showed their hair and the possible outcome of using the product.”
Female 21-35
“I think it’s very good and clever. It takes a different approach with the retro diner and country theme with Kelsea Ballerini. I think it’s very clever and what was necessary for the brand.”
Female 16-20
“This ad for Pantene is creative and different from other beauty product ads. It inspires a timeless product that gives an edge to beauty.”
Female 36-49
- iSpot media measurement reports no linear or streaming Impressions behind the “Fixins for Country Fried Hair” ads, with Impressions focused against Ballerini ads from 2024:
- Given medium wear measured on the older Ballerini spots and the very successful results for the new “Fixins” campaign, it is recommended that budget shift to support the new ads, with the :60 favored where possible.
- Of the top four hair care ads (in the 90-day period ending on 7/30/25), Head & Shoulders sparked a purchase intent that edged out the :60 “Fixins for Country Fried Hair” with their :30 “Extra Love”:
Advertisers need to know which creative resonates most with their target audience and ensure media dollars are directed toward those top-performing assets.
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Creative Agency: Grey New York