Transforming a Viral Hair Tools Brand into an Award-Winning Beauty Industry Leader

When Wavytalk first partnered with 5WPR, the brand faced significant hurdles common among emerging beauty brands. Although it had found early success through TikTok's social commerce platform, it lacked recognition among traditional media and industry insiders. The hair tools category was highly saturated with legacy brands commanding major market share, and Wavytalk needed to quickly establish credibility in a space where innovation alone was not enough. Additionally, the brand needed to move beyond its reputation as a social media-driven product and prove its staying power as a professional-quality, industry-respected name. Positioning Wavytalk as both aspirational and accessible required a multifaceted strategy that bridged celebrity partnerships, editorial credibility, and influencer engagement.

5WPR was hired to develop a comprehensive beauty PR strategy that would transform Wavytalk from a social media-driven brand into an industry leader. To achieve this, 5W secured an exclusive partnership with celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons, known for working with A- list stars such as the Kardashians and Madonna, to elevate brand credibility and align Wavytalk with top-tier talent. To celebrate this partnership and the launch of the brand's new Pro Collection, 5W hosted a high-profile cocktail event attended by key media and influencers, further strengthening industry relationships and consumer engagement.

To solidify Wavytalk's presence in the beauty and fashion industries, 5W facilitated collaborations with major celebrities, securing the brand's role in styling Madelyn Cline for the Met Gala, Sabrina Carpenter for her Short N' Sweet tour, and Chappell Roan and Gracie Abrams for the GRAMMYs red carpet. Additionally, Wavytalk was named the official hair tools partner for SIMKHAI's NYFW FW25 runway show, a partnership that was further amplified with a consumer-driven pop-up event at SIMKHAI's SoHo store alongside designer Jonathan Simkhai.

As part of its influencer engagement strategy, 5W hosted an exclusive hairstyling event at Jenna Perry's East Village Atelier in support of Wavytalk's Super Brand Day, bringing together top beauty influencers to experience the brand firsthand and drive organic content creation. Through these targeted efforts, Wavytalk successfully expanded its brand presence beyond TikTok, breaking into new media verticals and reaching a broader audience.

Through 5WPR's strategic execution, Wavytalk experienced a transformative year of growth and industry recognition. The campaign resulted in over 643 media and influencer placements, generating 27.3 billion impressions. Wavytalk secured multiple organic national TV placements, including features on Good Morning America and The TODAY Show, further reinforcing its credibility and consumer appeal.

The brand's impact was further solidified with three major industry awards, winning the Marie Claire Hair & Skin Awards, Glamour Beauty and Wellness Awards, and NewBeauty Awards. Additionally, Wavytalk saw a 36% year-over-year increase in Share of Voice (SOV), rising to the #1 spot in its category after previously ranking last with just 2% SOV at the start of the partnership.

With top-tier media coverage in outlets such as Allure, NewBeauty, Glossy, and Marie Claire, as well as high-profile brand partnerships and celebrity collaborations, 5WPR successfully positioned Wavytalk as a leading name in the hair tools industry.

Elevating a brand from viral success to category leadership requires a holistic PR strategy that combines celebrity credibility, strategic event execution, media relationship building, and influencer engagement. Through creative storytelling and high-profile collaborations, 5WPR was able to position Wavytalk not just as a trendy hair tools brand but as an award-winning, industry- respected leader. This case study demonstrates that with the right public relations partner, a brand can successfully transition from digital buzz to enduring market authority.