It’s not every day a dandruff shampoo makes headlines.
Head & Shoulders jumped at the chance to promote its products after an
interaction between President Donald Trump and France’s president, Emmanuel
Macron, went viral.
The exchange was part of a state visit and dinner that Trump hosted for
Macron, who today is addressing members of Congress.
Standing in the Oval Office on Tuesday, and with the cameras rolling,
President Trump announced to the world that the president of France,
Emmanuel Macron, has a flaky scalp.“We do have a very special relationship,”
Trump said, with the French president at his side. “In fact, I’ll get that little
piece of dandruff off. You have a little piece.”Trump brushed a finger on Macron’s lapel. The Frenchman looked puzzled,
then mustered a laugh. A moment later, Macron looked down and brushed off
his jacket.
Trump wipes off dandruff from Macron’s shoulder: “We have to make him perfect.” pic.twitter.com/acVeLaNFUs
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) April 24, 2018
Macron
went on to tell reporters
that the gesture from Trump “wasn’t innocent,” but declined to criticize
Trump further.“One must show that you won’t make small concessions, even symbolic ones,
but also not over-publicize things, either,” he told Le Journal du Dimanche
in May.
Trump’s interactions with diplomatic leaders have made headlines before. The Guardian even outlined the types of handshakes and gestures
Trump has made, including the exchange with Macron, in an article titled, “The art of the feel: Why Trump is the master of the awkward greeting.”
Social media users took to Twitter to ridicule the interaction, with some
saying the move played out like a Head & Shoulders commercial. Proctor
& Gamble, the dandruff shampoo’s parent company, didn’t miss the chance
to seize the marketing opportunity.
Head & Shoulders’ social media team tweeted the following video, which
depicts a box full of its shampoo and conditioner addressed to the French
Embassy:
Whether you’re meeting the President or on your first date, we believe everyone should be 100% flake-free. #DandruffGate #FlakeNews #ShouldersofGreatness pic.twitter.com/fzsh6mQwGM
— Head & Shoulders (@Headshoulders) April 24, 2018
Though social media users’ responses to the snarky marketing stunt are
mixed, the tweet has earned Head & Shoulders online engagement—along
with additional news headlines and social media mentions.
What do you think of the move, PR Daily readers?
(Image via)