Philips Japan enters esports with SCARZ sponsorship

Philips Japan has partnered with Japanese esports team SCARZ, unveiling the Philips S9000 rotary shaver as the official male grooming product for SCARZ, particularly focusing on its e-motorsports division. The sponsorship is managed with FUSE, a division of Omnicom Media Group (OMG).

Over the course of six months, the agreement involves FUSE assisting both Philips and SCARZ in creating exclusive content and experiences. Activities such as a 30-minute documentary, fan contests, and masterclass videos are planned, representing a shift from the traditional advertising strategies commonly utilised by shaver brands in Japan.

The six-figure sponsorship seeks to bridge the grooming and gaming industries, both noted for their emphasis on precision and performance. Philips described the partnership as an alignment based on the idea that ‘mastering rotation leads to victory.’

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According to Philips, the S9000 rotary shaver features advanced rotary technology, intended to parallel the agility and precise control required in e-motorsports. Maria Cecilia Grandi, Philips' personal health marketing director for JAPAC, explained the increased attention Philips Shavers have garnered among young audiences in Japan, highlighting their effectiveness and gentleness.

“With the partnership with SCARZ and FUSE, Philips Japan celebrates car enthusiasts’ passion about racing and mastering the rotations/turns and the deep emotions that love for cars and for self-care through an amazing shaving experience can create. Through FUSE’s profound understanding of creating brand love and bringing an innovative approach to communication in media, Philips can diversify its creative expression in the Japan market through this unconventional and passionate partnership,” added Natsuko Nozawa, Philips personal health digital and creative lead for Japan. 

David Lister, head of content at FUSE APAC, explained the strategic decision to engage with e-sports due to its significant content creation potential. "In that context, there is a lot that SCARZ can do in their content-first environment to tell the Philips rotary shaving story for us through personalities, racing, and performance. It has rotary at its heart and the ability to be easily scaled through their platforms," he added.

Meanwhile, Philips Hong Kong unveiled a story-driven campaign featuring Hong Kong pop singers Hins Cheung and Terence Lam in June this year. Building upon the launch its new electronic toothbrushes, Sonicare, the campaign aims to dispel common myths surrounding electric toothbrushes. 

Also known as “Philips Sonicare, an ultimate oral care” (不一樣的聲波Care), the campaign is launched in phases from 5 June until mid-September. It targets manual toothbrush users aged between 20 and 55, who are new to the category and conscious about oral healthcare.  

Done in collaboration with creative agency TBWA\Hong Kong and media agency OMD Hong Kong, the campaign aims to debunk misconceptions surrounding electric toothbrushes while highlighting the superior cleaning power of Philips Sonicare’s superior Sonic Technology with the idea of “Same same but different”.

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