Essential is a hair care brand by Kao that has been loved as one of the company’s flagship brands since its debut in 1976.
From the very beginning, the brand has actively produced TV commercials, and you’ve likely seen quite a few Essential ads over the years.
In this article, we’ll introduce all of the Essential commercials that have aired so far.
We’ll also touch on the featured performers and background music, so if there’s a commercial you’ve been curious about, be sure to check it out.
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Commercials for Essential: A compilation of TV ads for the haircare brand by Kao (1–10)
Kao Essential “Sports Festival” VersionNewJeans
This commercial showcases beautiful hair with Essential through a unique world where the members of NewJeans take on a school sports festival.
By showing various moments related to the event—like them sprinting and cheering—it conveys that their hair stays soft in any situation.
The song that further emphasizes the light, airy feeling expressed in the visuals is NewJeans’ “Bubble Gum.” While the rhythm is calm, the beat resonates strongly, giving the impression of conveying everyday relaxation along with the excitement found within it.
Kao Essential The Beauty “Barrier Loop” VersionAi Mikami
This commercial from Essential’s THE BEAUTY introduces a shampoo that protects your hair and depicts the kind of beauty it leads to.
It focuses on Ai Mikami’s hair, and the gentle volume and shine clearly convey how effective it is.
The song that further accentuates the calm atmosphere portrayed in the visuals is a cover of “LA LA LA LOVE SONG.” Compared to Toshinobu Kubota’s original, the arrangement is slower and even more soothing, strongly conveying a sense of relaxation and a floating, airy feel.
Kao Essential: “What kind of hair should I live with starting tomorrow?” (campaign/spot)Noa Kato, Yua Tsutsui, Ayano Masuda, Kisara Matsumura
This commercial features four active high school model TikTokers—Noa Kato, Yua Tsutsui, Ayano Masuda, and Kisara Matsumura—and portrays scenes of youth.
Their hair flows beautifully with various movements and the sweeping wind, effectively highlighting Essential’s benefits that support youthful days through that expression.
Further accentuating the fresh air of youth depicted in the visuals is the song “Sekai wa Utsukushii Hazu Nanda” by yama.
With a grand, bright sound and powerfully resonant strings, the vocals build strength toward the chorus, conveying the vigor of sprinting through youth.
Kao Essential: “Repeat Coloring”Nozomi Sasaki
In the commercial featuring Nozomi Sasaki, the way she admires her own hair reflected in a shop window is striking.
The background music is sung by Maia Hirasawa, a Japanese-Swedish singer-songwriter.
Rather than focusing on image, the approach emphasizes its effectiveness as a hair care product.
Kao EssentialYuko Oshima, Hiromi Nagasaku
In a commercial that aired in 2012, Yuko Oshima from AKB48 and Hiromi Nagasaku appeared.
The ad features talents who appeal to a wide range of age groups and have down-to-earth, relatable personas.
Kao Essential The Beauty: “Color” VersionAlice Hirose
This piece features Alice Hirose taking on a quiz about hair color, using the results to explore the relationship between hair color and hair quality.
It shows that even with the same hair color, hair that’s well-maintained looks more vibrant, and it highlights how Essential supports that—emphasized through her look of surprise.
The song that further accentuates the joy of this new discovery portrayed in the video is yama’s “The World Ought to Be Beautiful.” The grand, resonant sound of the strings is striking, and combined with the vocals, it creates a bright, youthful atmosphere.
Kao Essential
It’s YUKI’s 13th single, released in 2006.
It’s a light, danceable track with disco elements.
As for the lyrics, she wanted to make it all about dancing, so she aimed for something without much meaning in the content.