“Coiltinis”, “Gel & Tonics”, and “Thirst Traps” are on PATTERN’s chief CURLtender (and founder) Tracee Ellis Ross’s cocktail menu. In the haircare brands first-ever TV commercial, Ross is turning mixology into hairology, serving bottles of Pattern Beauty hair products to her lounge patrons—including her Girlfriends co-stars Golden Brooks, Jill Marie Jones, and Persia White on the 25th anniversary of the show.
Hair cocktailing, the technique of mixing complimentary ingredients to catered to your most niche hair concerns, is the recipe behind PATTERN’s best-selling routines. “Hair cocktailing is a common practice in our community—we layer curl gels, creams, oils and more to create a personalized formula that works best for our own hair,” Ross says in a press release. The ad begins with three patrons ordering a “Thirst Trap”which mixed products, instead of alcohol, catered to their hair types. The Styling Cream and Strong Hold Gel can be used to shape a bouffant afro, the Curl Gel and Leave-In Conditioner to define coils, and the Curl Mousse for definition and shine.
“At PATTERN, our product formulas are made to be mixed without pilling or flaking, so we encourage cocktailing to find what works best for you and your unique texture,” she says. For example, Brooks (“Maya” in The Girlfriends) slipped and fell while crossing the bar as a literal take on her curls falling. “My curls fell down,” she yells. “Relax! I got this,” Ross responds, re-curling her hair with The Interchangeable Curling Iron. Then, Jones (“Toni”) in a long bob-like cut followed suit, falling down in hopes of having a touch up of her own. Meanwhile, Ross’s hair was wet and slicked back (“Slick n’ Slide”, anyone?) with a Bloody Mary red lip and layered mascara as she played the hair savior for her Girlfriends.
With textured hair often featuring multiple textures even on one head, building a hair cocktail routine can target multiple concerns at once, from scalp care to hydration and every coil in between. “What makes this campaign so smart is how it taps into real textured hair rituals, like product cocktailing, while wrapping that insight in bold visuals and joyful energy,” says Kristen King, EVP, Managing Director, at ATTN:, the production company behind the commercial. With almost six years on the market, PATTERN’s very first commercial gives air to a wash day ritual Black women almost instinctively do.
Partnering with child, the director of the ad and member of the PATTERN community, Ross says they brought the cultural message of hair cocktailing to life. “In this spot, we wanted to celebrate the styling rituals with our cast of various textures as well as reunite my ‘Girlfriends’ to show the joy that lives in our shared hair moments,” she says. From curls, coils and tight textures to locs, fades, straight styles and more, PATTERN has got you covered.”