Results and Effectiveness

1800 homes discarded ‘Plaster of Paris’ idols and bought eco-friendly idols More so... • Over 7.5 million people were reached through Media • Almost 1Lac kids and 200+ schools were sensitized about the environmental hazards through school-activation programs • Nearly 10000 Kids participated on-ground to create Eco-friendly Ganpati idols • 40%* increase in TOM Awareness • 33% * increase in Key brand Metrics • 20%* increase in buzz around the brand *Millward Brown

Creative Execution

Surf partnered with Sakal group (largest Media Group in Maharashtra) to create ‘Eco-friendly workshops’ across 14 cities where children in groups of 5 (demonstrating the function-benefit of ‘Power of 10 hands’), created Lord Ganesha clay idols. By getting dirty, kids brought alive the brand proposition ‘Dirt is good’. The event inspired kids to become social catalysts of positive change by raising consciousness against environmental degradation; Mothers too, participated for the cause. Under the guidance of Artists & Mentors, Surf Excel inspired kids to bond together and create eco-friendly idols. Both “Dirt is Good” & “Power of 10 hands” were displayed in its true sense as 5-kids, 10-hands together created 1-idol, leaving the kids colored in Power of good stains. These idols were later exhibited for sale. Proceeds from the activity were donated to India Foundation, an NGO. Articles & stories were published across Print & TV, to create awareness and concern about the cause, across all 10-days of the festival.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Maharashtra, India’s third-largest populous state, goes through an ecological turmoil every-year due to one of its most-revered festival, ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’. Celebrated over 10-day period with enthusiasm and fervor, it also carries its fair-share of environmental-hazard post-conclusion. Every year, 150million idols are immersed in water-bodies creating imbalance in marine life-cycle. Most of these idols are made of Plaster-of-Paris (PoP) ; which is insolvable, releases toxic elements into water, leading to oxygen deficit and water contamination. Surf Excel, India’s largest premium detergent, a socially responsible brand, took charge to address this threat in Maharashtra; the second-largest market. The brand identified with its ‘Dirt is good’ proposition; turned enabler to educate and activate the society. To spread awareness about the issue and suggest solution; Surf activated its variant, Easy Wash with the functional-benefit of ‘Power of 10 hands’ empowering its most potent messengers; kids, to sensitize about hazards caused due to non-environmental-friendly Ganesh celebrations.