Suave Challenges Competitors as it Moves From Main Street to Fifth Avenue

NEW YORK, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- New Yorkers and tourists alike are accustomed to well-known shops on Fifth Avenue. Now, these exclusive shops have a new neighbor. From February 22 - 26 only, the Suave "Can You Tell?" Studio hits Manhattan, and goes head-to-head with heavy hitters like Matrix(R), Nexxus(R) and Lubriderm(R). FREE hair cuts, stylings and manicures will be offered daily from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. for charity. From the Studio, located at 12 East 42nd Street (at Fifth Avenue), Suave will challenge women to see if they can really tell the difference between Suave and more expensive, premium brands. Call 1-877-SUAVE05 today for an appointment, space is limited. Some walk-ins also accepted.

Beauty for a Good Cause

Celebrity hair stylist Harry Josh and top New York dermatologist Dr. Francesca Fusco will be joined by a team of stylists and manicurists to provide the free services and interactive demos that will prove Suave works as well as leading brands. Celebrity Melissa Rivers, along with mom Joan, will be stopping by the Studio to get a pre-Oscars style from Harry Josh. Ereka Vetrini, formerly from The Apprentice and now a co-host on The Tony Danza Show, will visit to get a new look for charity.

All services at the Suave "Can You Tell?" Studio will benefit Gilda's Club Worldwide, a charitable organization that provides emotional and social support to people living with cancer. In addition to New York, the Studio will make stops in Chicago and Minneapolis. For every visitor getting an appointment in these cities, Suave will donate $40 to the charity. And, for people who can't make it to the Studio, log onto http://canyoutell.com/ beginning midnight on February 22. Every visit to the site will help Suave donate an additional $10,000 to Gilda's Club Worldwide.

Performance Know-How

Celebrity stylist Harry Josh, who has styled the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, Reese Witherspoon, Renee Zellweger, Gisele Bundchen and Hilary Swank, agrees that most women can't tell the difference between Suave and more expensive, premium brands.

"I can't afford to take risks with the products I use -- my reputation rides on it," Josh said. "I've personally put Suave products to the test against more expensive brands. Suave really works."

Josh will style and cut hair while demonstrating "half-head" shampoos -- which directly pit Suave shampoos and conditioners against leading brands like Matrix(R) and Nexxus(R). Dr. Fusco also will advise Studio visitors about proper skin care and interact with them as they partake in the Studio's free services, including manicures and hand massages with Suave(R) and Lubriderm(R) lotions. So, whether it's hand-to-hand or head-to-head, consumers will see how Suave works when compared to leading brands.

"I'm familiar with a wide spectrum of skin care products on the market and can say that spending a great deal of money on a product does not ensure the best skin," said Dr. Fusco. "Women can trust Suave to deliver radiant, healthy-looking skin."

Additional Activities

Also drawing attention to Suave's "Can You Tell?" campaign and Studio will be 60 women who fan out all over Manhattan on Feb. 22-23, adorned with great hair styles and "Can You Tell?" t-shirts. The Studio will then move onto Chicago on March 15-16 and Minneapolis on March 29-30.

Log onto http://canyoutell.com/ to see for yourself how Suave stacks up to the competition.

* All brands listed are trademarks of their respective owners.

Suave(R) offers more than 300 personal care products including hair care, anti-perspirants/deodorants, body washes, body bars and hand and body lotions. A Unilever Home & Personal Care Brand, Suave is available nationwide in food, drug and mass outlet stores. In 2003, an annual survey conducted by DSN Retailing Today named Suave America's favorite health and beauty aid brand for the third year in a row. Suave, a name that has been trusted for quality and value for more than 60 years, is purchased by 61 percent of American households each year. More than 18 Suave products are sold every second.

The mission of Gilda's Club Worldwide is to provide meeting places where men, women and children living with cancer and their families and friends can join with others to build emotional and social support as a supplement to medical care. Free of charge and nonprofit, Gilda's Club Worldwide offers support and networking groups, lectures, workshops and social events in a nonresidential, homelike setting.