Why is this work relevant for Media?

Lifebuoy, the brand that runs the world's largest behaviour change programmes on handwashing, sought to future-proof the world against pandemics by encouraging kids to adopt the correct handwashing habits. But how do you address preschool children - a traditionally media dark audience? This case demonstrates how Lifebuoy created touchpoints where none existed, to embed appropriate handwashing habits in children - through partnerships that convinced governments to change the 100+ -year-old curriculum and embrace a new one that changed how the letter H is taught. The resultant ‘media'? Children books, alphabet posters in schools and jingles, that children could sing to.

Background

Lifebuoy was born over a hundred years ago, when infectious diseases were the primary cause of death. Armed with a mission to ‘make cleanliness commonplace’, Lifebuoy has ever since placed itself in the service of public health, actively championing good hygiene (recently, with "Help a Child Reach 5"). Today, Lifebuoy is the world's number one selling germ protection soap brand and a trusted hygiene expert. Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of handwashing with soap was thrust into the global spotlight. Yet, although handwashing rates spiked initially, they also dramatically declined soon after. This most human characteristic has been an ongoing struggle for over a 100 years. With the world emerging from lockdowns, embedding good handwashing habits has never been more critical. It is critical for the world to commit to hand hygiene; or we risk a deadly, continuous cycle of COVID-19 and the genesis of further pandemics.

Describe the creative idea / insights (30% of vote)

According to a 2020 global study, 4 out of 5 people don’t wash their hands after using the bathroom. We realized the need of the hour being effecting a systemic change so that handwashing as a practice became a lifelong habit. We developed one of the simplest, scalable and effortless-to-execute ideas: ‘H for Handwashing’. It focuses on how, for generations, children have been taught letters of the alphabet through simple associations with everyday references such as ‘A’ for Apple, ‘B’ for Ball and ‘C’ for Cat. Lessons they never forget. Ever. The idea is simply this: Lifebuoy wants to fundamentally change how the letter ‘H’ is taught. No longer will ‘H’ stand for Horse/Hat. ‘H’ must stand for Handwashing. A simple intervention that introduces the concept of handwashing to children at the right age, making it a widespread and common habit that is learn early but lasts a lifetime.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

Our bullseye target was pre-school children between three and five years old and younger primary school children. At this age, they start to learn the language, objects around them, basic concepts and differentiate the right from the wrong. Our insight is rooted in not only a consumer but also a scientific truth. The first lessons of life are the ones that are hardcoded in us. UNICEF’s early childhood development research demonstrates that supporting the right interventions in the early years of life significantly bolsters development. Early learning and language skills go hand-in-hand in establishing patterns and memory. Our strategic approach, then, was to hardcode handwashing in one of the first lessons we all learn. A simple intervention that would introduce the concept of handwashing to children at the right age, making it a widespread and a common habit that is learnt early but can last a lifetime.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

At the centre of the execution was our unique audience – pre-schoolers. The channel: the classroom; the media: the alphabet chart used by teachers everyday to teach children the alphabet. The idea was kept simple to resonate across the world. Children all over the world learn language and letters as part of their curriculum. This made the idea highly customizable, e.g. in Indonesia where Handwashing is ‘Cuci Tangan, the idea got executed as ‘C’ for ‘Cuci Tangan’. Education also needs advocacy, we also deployed an omnichannel campaign including across social media, PR and on-ground engagements via teachers, parents, educators, policymakers and governments. We garnered support from one of the world’s most popular children’s content experts - Sesame Workshop and none other than Elmo brought the message of H is for Handwashing to children everywhere. World renowned author Ruskin Bond, celebrities and brand ambassadors in all key geographies also amplified

List the results (30% of vote)

• Engaged with over 21,500 schools, over 22,000 teachers and over 11.78 million learners globally. • Collaborated with governments of South Africa, India and Sri Lanka to adopt the ‘H for Handwashing’ alphabet. 10 other countries committing to including H for Handwashing in their curriculum. • Educational material across more than 20,000 schools was transformed to incorporate the H4H message across languages. • We created The World’s Largest Virtual Classroom featuring Elmo from Sesame Workshop, which was attended by 17,000 participants from over 35 countries and broke the Guinness World Record. • The campaign reached over 250 million people and earned an estimated PR value of €2.7 million, with a social media reach of approximately 72.5 million. • 100+ influencers and celebrities partnered and amplified the cause globally.