Gatsby invites men to 'listen to their girlfriends' in new clay styling campaign

Male grooming brand Gatsby has launched a new campaign that flips traditional advertising on its head by urging men to take beauty advice not from influencers or ambassadors - but from their girlfriends.

Titled “Dengerin cewek lo, biar ganteng beneran” (“Listen to your girl, so you can be truly handsome”), the six-month campaign aims to grow Gatsby’s market share in the hairstyling segment by promoting its Fibre Clay line, tapping into the rising trend of natural looks to appeal to non-users.

The campaign - fronted by Indonesian actor and model Jefri Nichol - marks Gatsby’s first collaboration with creative agency Ambilhati, featuring a bold and humorous take on how men perceive grooming versus how their partners wish they’d look.

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“Hair styling product usage has been declining because men feel they don’t need it - either because they’re too lazy or think they already look good. But not for the women who feel uneasy seeing their partners look below standard,” said Sancoyo Pinandito, advertising and promotion manager for the male category at Mandom Indonesia, Gatsby’s parent firm.

“From this interesting insight we discovered together with the Ambilhati team, Gatsby, for the first time, is asking men not to listen to our brand ambassador, but to listen to their partners through the Gatsby Fibre Clay campaign: ‘Dengerin cewek lo, biar ganteng beneran,’” he added.

The campaign rollout spans TVCs, digital videos, and OOH executions, produced by Ketuk Pintu and directed by Bondan Susilo, with photography by Heret Frasthio. The creative mix includes long-form digital films, short 15-second cuts, and six-second bumpers optimised for social and mobile, alongside key visuals across digital, print, and point-of-sale materials.

By leaning into humour and authenticity, Gatsby positions Fibre Clay as a relatable and modern solution for men who want to look good - according to those who matter most to them.

Gatsby is a men’s grooming brand that has been a trendsetter in Indonesia since its launch in 1980. Beginning with its Water Gloss line in 1989, the brand has expanded into various hairstyling products such as wax, cream, gel, pomade, and clay, maintaining its position as a market leader through Japanese-quality standards.

Beyond hairstyling, Gatsby has also expanded into fragrance, body care, and face care, maintaining a strong presence in the men’s fragrance segment. Continuous innovation has been key to its longevity in an evolving men’s grooming market, which is projected to reach US$1.08 billion by 2030.

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