• Brandweek, Wednesday, August 22, 2007 11:30 AM

Consumers, who know witch hazel from their grandmother's medicine cabinet, remember it as a first aid for minor cuts and abrasions. Witch hazel, a natural astringent, has been a multipurpose cure-all item for generations. But a different version of the compound, whose proper name is hamamelis virginiana, is also an effective skincare product for cleansing and toning.

It is this "toning" aspect that Dickinson Brands, East Hampton, Conn., plans to promote in the first marketing campaign in the 140-year-old product's history. The strategy is to redefine its Witch Hazel to Gen Y teens and women. One of the aims is to make Dickinson's Witch Hazel sexy.

A print campaign themed "Stop Stripping" will run in Fitness, Marie Claire, Seventeen and Glamour; and banner ads will appear on Web sites, including InStyle, Shape and MySpace. A dedicated Web site, www.Stopstripping.com, is designed to engage interaction, educate and promote the product line and a new contest. The campaign will coincide with the new packaging rollout in September.

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