The hunt by consumers for more affordable versions of premium products is nothing new. However, the rise of TikTok has been marked by a surge in popularity around “dupes” — a term short for duplicates meant to denote a less expensive product alternative — tasking marketers with doubling down on their value pitch for fear of losing sales. For Olaplex, one of TikTok’s most duped hair care brands, that meant asserting that the only brand worthy of being its dupe is Olaplex itself.
On Sept. 25, Olaplex with the help of over 100 earned and paid influencers launched an unboxing campaign around a new fictitious product, Oladupé.