L'Oréal

Closer, not louder – essie's Midsummer 2026 Campaign

essie is a nail color and care brand born to disrupt. With over 1,000 meticulously curated shades and ground-breaking formula innovations, essie democratizes salon trends – delivering professional quality results at home, easily. Part of the L'Oréal Group's Consumer Products Division, essie is available in retailers and online across more than 100 countries.

Our role

Creative direction
Production
Copywriting
Content production
Delivery

BACKGROUND

The longest day in the marketing calendar

Midsummer is the Nordic region's most iconic summer celebration – and one of the most cluttered moments in the marketing calendar. For the 2026 campaign, the task was to highlight essie’s range Gel by essie - built around the key product claim: up to 15 days of gel-like wear and long-lasting shine, no UV needed.

THE CHALLENGE

Authentic in the off-season

To bring Midsummer to life in January by combining a dedicated Nordic photoshoot with existing global brand material. The result had to feel authentically seasonal and locally relevant. Cutting through the seasonal noise with something that felt genuinely Nordic and authentic - not just another midsummer campaign.

THE CONCEPT

Longest day, longest wear by essie

Midsummer is the the perfect stage for essie. Comprend built a full campaign for essie's Midsummer 2026 campaign, centred around the concept Longest day, longest wear by essie: a promise that Gel by essie's vibrant colour and luxe, gel-like shine can last a full 15 days beyond the festivities.

The creative approach leaned into intimacy over spectacle. Rather than wide Midsummer scenes, the story was told through close-ups, hands, textures, small rituals – guiding the viewer from morning expectations through midday preparations to evening celebrations. The hands became the storyteller, keeping the manicure in frame naturally throughout the day.

THE STRATEGY

Intimacy over spectacle

Morning expectations. Midday preparations. Evening celebrations. To showcase multiple essie shades while staying true to the close, intimate storytelling, two creative routes were suggested: one focusing on the main character – up close and personal. The other introduced additional shades through friends' hands, appearing naturally in shared moments alongside her. A sense of togetherness, built one close-up at a time.

THE SOLUTION

Comprend crafted a full campaign concept rooted in Nordic authenticity – combining a dedicated photoshoot with existing global brand material to create something that felt genuinely seasonal and locally relevant. Through intimate close-up storytelling and Nordic-filtered copywriting, we brought the Midsummer mood to life across Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube, localised across the Nordic markets.