Pantene in Japan was almost discontinued from Japan because its sales was struggling with around 2% value share. After 12 years from its launch in Japan, Pantene took a new but authentic approach to establish it as compelling reason-for-being product for Japanese women in 2003. The communication is beyond the advertising intergrating the advertising and actress's real life.

Pantene started in 2003 and has been sponsoring until today 'Pantene Drama Special' once per year leveraging tie-in with Fuji TV - one of Japan's biggest and most influential TV broadcasting stations. For the drama, Pantene selects a heroine at an audition and transforms her look and mind from amateur to professional actress. Having her debut in the drama, she then starts appearing in Pantene's advertising as witness to Pantene's beautiful result and shares it with Japanese womens own real Pantene experience. That being said, her real life ambition to be an actress and climb up to stardom is another communication medium for Japanese women beyond the advertising campaign to encourage Japanese women to be able to become more beautiful.

Pantene has successfully become one of the top hair care brands in Japan, recording monthly No.1 value share several times sinice 2008. The share point in 2002 was only around 2% but it grew to over 11% in 2010. While Pantene grows its sales, 7 actresses from 'Pantenes Special Drama' have been growing to top actresses in Japan. Their growth in real life evokes real hope among Japanese women to be able to become more beautiful with Pantene.