The Brief

In Sri Lanka Tide has performed well. However it is still not the market leader in its category. The brand was successful amongst affluent audiences but the client wanted us to find an interesting way to connect with the middle-class and promote its stain-fighting abilities.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

We found a powerful, pertinent insight related to roadside restaurants: our middle-class audience loves the food they serve but hates their sloppy service because it often leads to stained clothes. And then we turned that thought in to an eye-catching activation.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

By using the busiest restaurants, we were able to effectively present our message to thousands of people. Many said that the activation definitely caught their eye because of the very large ‘clothes’ on their tables, which were always perfectly clean because spills were quickly cleaned up with the ‘Tide’ sponge. Overall, the activation was a success because we were able to communicate to our audience in a situation that was relevant to our message. Participants we spoke to clearly understood what we were saying and in the words of one, “Tide keeps it spotless”.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

Our execution was simple but powerful. We made easy-to-clean white tablecloths in the shape of common clothes for roadside restaurants and showed that any spills or drips, which normally cause stains, could be effortlessly removed with the help of Tide.