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Self-care isn’t just a luxury – it’s a way of life. That’s the message at the heart of Treatwell’s latest campaign, marking the brand’s bold return to out-of-home advertising after a four-year hiatus. With 300 London Underground track billboards and 300 buses carrying its empowering message, the campaign aims to shift the narrative around beauty and wellness, positioning self-care as an everyday essential.

At the forefront of this initiative is Treatwell’s commitment to making beauty and wellness treatments more intuitive and accessible. Whether it’s a fresh haircut, a confidence-boosting manicure, or a much-needed massage, the platform seamlessly connects users with top-rated salons and professionals – ensuring that prioritising self-care is as easy as booking a ride.

Speaking to ��������’s Alex Reeves, Joanna Christie, Treatwell’s chief marketing officer, shares how the campaign blends relatable copywriting with strategic placement to inspire Londoners to embrace self-care as a natural part of their daily routine. With its first major OOH activation in years, Treatwell isn’t just selling services – it’s redefining what it means to ‘treat yourself well.’

��������> Treatwell is making a big return to out-of-home advertising after four years. What was the key strategic thinking behind this campaign?

Joanna> The beauty of Treatwell advertising is that it has two powerful results – more people treating themselves well, and more business for our hair and beauty salons.
Treatwell invests more than anyone else in getting more people into salons more often - and this year we will be beating all previous targets. We are very proud of the industry that we are growing, doing it hand in hand with our salon partners. This focus on driving people into salons really comes to life in OOH advertising – especially buses and underground – where hyper-local media reflects that hyper-local hair salon, nail bar or barber that is so loved.

Over the last four years, we’ve focused on strengthening the salon software tools we offer hair and beauty salons across Europe. Now, with a strong foundation, we are back reminding Londoners that self-care isn’t a luxury – it’s an essential part of life. OOH allows us to meet people in the real world, right in their daily routines, with an unmissable message.

��������> How did you want this work to evolve the Treatwell brand in the eyes of Londoners?

Joanna> We wanted to reinforce Treatwell as more than just a booking platform – it’s a gateway to feeling your best, and treating yourself well. This campaign shifts the conversation from transactional to emotional, positioning us as an enabler of confidence, wellbeing, and everyday self-care rituals. Concurrently there isn’t an easier way to book your hair and beauty appointments, so we remove those practical barriers to treating yourself well too.

��������> What were the main insights that shaped the campaign messaging?

Joanna> Londoners need to treat themselves better! Especially those on the daily grind and commute! We know Londoners lead busy lives, often putting themselves last. Our data shows that convenience and accessibility are key barriers to self-care. The campaign messaging taps into these insights by making self-care feel intuitive, necessary, and as natural as any other part of a daily routine.

��������> The campaign strikes a great balance between humour and relatability. How did you land on this tone of voice?

Joanna> We worked with an awesome creative writer called Luke Crisell to help us create copy that speaks to the context of the media but with Treatwell’s distinct strength of brand character. We wanted it to be fun because hair and beauty should feel uplifting, not like another item on a to-do list. We leaned into lighthearted, everyday truths that resonate with Londoners – like the chaos of ‘Tube wind’ or the reality of a crowded commute – to make the message feel personal and engaging. The balance of wit and warmth ensures the brand remains both aspirational and approachable.

��������> Can you talk us through the creative process behind the copy? Lines like “An elbow in the back does not count as a massage” and “Your hair deserves more than Tube wind” are playful yet insightful – what principles guided that approach?

Joanna> We started by identifying universal moments that Londoners experience daily – the stress of commuting, the rush of city life, the little frustrations that get in the way of feeling good. The goal was to craft copy that felt like an inside joke between friends, while subtly reinforcing the idea that investing in yourself doesn’t have to be difficult. Every line was designed to be both memorable and immediately relevant.

��������> What was the most challenging part of distilling the brand message into such concise and effective OOH copy?

Joanna> The challenge was making every word count. OOH requires immediate impact – there’s no room for long explanations. We focused on clarity, brevity, and resonance, ensuring that each message was engaging at a glance while staying true to Treatwell’s brand voice.

��������> How did you approach the visual identity of the campaign to ensure it stood out in London’s busy streets and transport hubs?

Joanna> Treatwell always has been a very bright and colourful brand. We are the brighter way to book! Colour is an important brand mark for us so getting back to the combination of high octane colours – interlaced with ‘beauty’ imagery – is distinctively Treatwell. The fact that it also stands out so well in dark, dirty tube corridors and on bus sides is a bonus!

��������> With 300 billboards and 300 buses carrying the campaign, how did you tailor the messaging for different placements?

Joanna> Context was crucial. For the underground, where people have time to absorb messaging, we played with storytelling and punchy observations. For buses, where exposure time is shorter, we kept it direct and impactful. Every placement was considered for maximum relevance and engagement.

��������> This campaign was developed in-house – how does that shape the creative process differently compared to working with an external agency?

Joanna> Working in-house, with brilliant freelancers like Luke and a designer called Aimée Hunt, allowed us to move quickly and stay deeply connected to our brand’s voice. Our team understands the nuances of our audience, which meant we could craft messaging that felt authentic and aligned with our long-term brand vision. The agility also meant we could refine and iterate in real-time without external dependencies.

��������> What can we learn about broader trends in good OOH from this campaign?Recent WARC/AA data shows it's a medium that brands are still placing value in.

Joanna> The right OOH in the right moment and context has always worked so well for us. When you have such a broad audience, it is a great medium to drive brand recall as well as building front of mind that linkage to hair and beauty. We purposefully chose cross track for that dwell time, and buses for that impression of scale. We also chose print and paste media to ensure we get that 100% coverage, rather than digital sites.