Thayers rebrand put a 'WTF is a toner?!' hotline in British phone boxes

The brand specialises in toner yet the category confuses newcomers; the rebrand urged everyone to 'own their skin' and showcase the non-alcoholic Witch Hazel formula.

Two pop-ups created by Backlash: Battersea Power Station on 4–5 August 2023 and Shoreditch Boxpark on 17–18 August, with sample drops, social photo moments and promotional offers.

Both pop-ups ran across two London locations in August 2023; the source gives no attendance or sales figures.

Thayers, the L'Oréal skincare brand that specialises in toner, marked its rebrand with a London pop-up built around the question its category always provokes: 'WTF is a toner?!'. Bought by L'Oréal in 2020, the American brand repositioned to target Gen Z under the line 'own their skin', promoting its non-alcoholic Witch Hazel formula.

The concept borrowed a very British object: the telephone box. Attendees dialled 1847 — the year Thayers was founded — connecting to a skincare expert who could actually answer the toner question. 'Once the call concludes, a sample drops into the phone box, empowering guests to try it at home,' said Carina Garcia, senior art director at creator agency Backlash, adding that the 'educational dialogue' drove home why the brand has 'garnered such a massive popularity in the States'.

The pop-up ran twice: first at Battersea Power Station on 4 and 5 August 2023 (11am to 7pm), then at Shoreditch Boxpark on 17 August (11am to 6pm) and 18 August (11am to 5pm). Alongside the calls, guests could try samples, learn about the brand, take social-ready snaps and collect promotional offers.

Toner is the skincare step Gen Z is least sure about, so owning the question beats pretending it isn't asked.

The phone box is both an English landmark and a working prop — the founding year on the dial pad is the history lesson.

A live expert converts curiosity into education without a brand lecture.

The sample-drop ending turns a photo op into product trial at home.

Confusion is a funnel: name the question your category makes everyone ask, then answer it live in a setting worth photographing.

The two pop-ups ran in August 2023 as part of the rebrand push; the source reports no follow-up figures.