Tracee Ellis Ross Does ‘Girlfriends’ Tribute For Patterns Commercial

Trace Ellis Ross returned to her roots and featured a commercial for Pattern, showcasing the cast of the 2000s hit show Girlfriends.

Pattern is a hair care brand launched by Ross herself. Its products are designed to be layered and mixed without causing most hair problems, such as flaking. In the 60-second commercial, directed and produced with ATTN, De La Revolucion, and Prettybird, Ross hands the cocktails to the cast of Girlfriends.

Ross plays a bartender for hair, and during the commercial, different kinds of cocktails are ordered to showcase the various types of pattern hair products.

“We wanted to find a way to merge the world of hair care, hair care as self-care cocktail, and comedy,” Ross told ADWEEK.

The premise of the commercial came to Ross while she was in bed, and then she realized that the series’ 25th anniversary was coming soon. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Girlfriends’ first airing.

Ross stated that the campaign aims to help the Pattern brand transition to a legacy brand. Ross also noted that it was important that the director had passion and an understanding of textured hair in the community.

“When you’re doing a brand campaign, you’re usually telling a story through still imagery, and you don’t necessarily need the full breadth of the story,” said Ross. “But this is one of the places where I, from my other life as an actress and producer, have a lot of experience.”

At the end of the commercial, Ross announces a solo travel show available on Roku. During that time, the Pattern commercial will be airing during the show.

“One of the reasons I did the show on Roku is they offer technology where you can actually buy products with your remote control and cocktailing within the show,” said Ross.

According to the Pattern, retail sales have gone up 25% from last year due to the use of social media, making it an excellent opportunity to run its first campaign. Despite the growth, Ross does not desire to launch multiple new products. Instead, she desires to develop more of her existing products, so Pattern’s curl gel treatment grew DTC sales by 200%.

“That idea on a larger scale is really what informs the commercial,” said Ross. “If that’s working on one product strategy, then we can do that in a larger way that really represents the whole full brand narrative of the brand.” 

The launch of the commercial comes after a recent interview, conversations sparked after Trace Ellis Ross talked about not having children and not having a partner in her 50s. Even though the interview sparked a little bit of pushback, the overwhelming reaction from Ross’ interview was overall praise.

“ I have built an incredible life. I have became a woman that I am proud to be,” Ross said.

Despite feeling proud about her life, she recalls certain times where she feels like her worth gets diminished.

“Then someone tells me about their friend who adopted a child at 52 and how it’s never too late for your life to have meaning, and my worth gets diminished as I am reminded that I have failed on the marriage and carriage counts,” Ross says.

People like Vice President JD Vance and Tucker Carlson had spoken negatively about childless women during an interview.

“Childless, cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices they’ve made so they want to make the rest of the country miserable too.” Vance said.

In response, Ross added this.

“Because as a child is woman, I want to say to the people who think a woman’s worth is measured by her body count I mean, shout out to all the amazing mothers, but childless women have been mothering the world in elevating the world as auntie‘s godmother‘s, teachers, mentor sisters, and friends,” Ross added. “The list goes on, you do not have to push out a baby to help push humanity forward.”

Ross also talks about the ways she goes through life.

“ I take out the garbage, and I make my bed. I’m pretty kind to people, I do what is asked of me and what I ask of myself, and I am accountable,” she said.

Her stance was well received, in a Reddit post one commenter praised Ross and also expressed frustration with the expectations.

“Sad how she and other women have to justify why they don’t have kids,” the person said. “Let people live their lives. There are plenty of other people who have kids whether those people should or not is something a completely different topic altogether.”

Tracee Ellis Ross took Social media by storm this past week after appearing on Michelle Obama’s Podcast when she spoke on topics ranging from toxic masculinity to grieving over the fact that she hasn’t had children.

She also discussed the hardships of finding meaningful romantic connections as an older woman and the need to have everything figured out.

The controversy started when, in the podcast, Tracee commented about preferring to date younger men due to open-mindedness and fluidity around gender. In an episode of The Corey Holcomb 5150 show, comedian Corey Holcomb made a response stating, “Now b***hes can go around and f**k young boys and brag on it, and think ain’t nothing wrong with it. But when Corey went on Cam Newton’s show and said ‘I f**k young, broke, lost ho*s,’ I was the worst in the world.’”

Corey then continued by mentioning her past dating relationships.

“ Somebody said it, so now I can say it. I used to see the b**** get out the car, and I’m like, ‘Oh, she with a brother. She’s straight.’ You know what I’m saying. He didn’t choose you. He didn’t choose you. Those were your prime years when you were passing p***y out to boss n***s who got options to choose a woman who was victorious; none of them chose you.”

He also criticized her desire to date younger men and said that women her age should explore relationships with older people.

“Your best years are gone, ma’am. – You must date the puppies to get the proper attention you need because they need you. You got bread, you got things. I will keep them interested in you,” Corey stated. “ you gonna feel like that young boy owes you something. You can’t have a baby at 52; what are you doing with a young boy? You stealing from his future, she stealing from his future.” 

Recently, Tracee Ellis Ross, 52, appeared on a podcast and opened up about specific topics regarding dating and never having children. The podcast that Ross appeared on was Imopodcasts, which is hosted by former First Lady Michelle Obama alongside her brother Craig Robinson.

This is one of their newer podcasts. On their platform, people such as Jay Shetty, Keke Palmer, and Issa Rae talked about various issues, such as friendship breakups and things going on in their lives, career-wise and personally.

Ross is their most recent special guest on the podcast. People may know Ross from starring in the TV series Blackish, being in movies such as Candy Cane Lane, American Fiction, and most recently in an episode of the new season of Black Mirror.

Ross also appeared in music videos, one of which was EARTHQUAKE by Tyler the Creator, where she judged a talent show, and so on. Ross has accomplished a lot; recently, in the podcast, she opened up and became more candid about her personal life.

One of the things she talked about was grieving about not being in a relationship and never having kids.

“As much does grief does surface for me around not having kids and not having a partner, I still wouldn’t want the wrong partner, I’m not interested in that you have to make my life better. It can’t be just be ‘I’m in a relationship to only be in a relationship,’” Ross said.

Ross says that despite grief emerging, she still has things she is grateful for.

“Even though the grief does emerge and that comes, and I hold that, I think about what I’ve done, and I think of, I wake up every morning doing my best. I don’t think I wake up and think I’m going to mess this day up, so I must be where I’m supposed to be. So I think about all the things I’ve done, the courage I’ve had, and how to navigate the world as a single person with no one to hide behind.”

Ross also says that the experience itself is beautiful.

“I have incredible friends,” Ross stated.

When it comes to dating, Ross keeps asking herself why she wants to date and why she is not interested.

“A lot of men my age are steeped in toxic masculinity and have been raised in a culture where there is a way relationships look, and anything starts to smell like that for me; I did enough of it where I was controlled, where I felt like a possession and a prize, and I have no interest in it,” Ross stated.

This podcast is currently on YouTube, and Imopodcast produces episodes every Wednesday.

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