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Tag: P&G

  • P&G named ‘Brand Marketer of the Decade’ at Cannes Lions 2020

    P&G named ‘Brand Marketer of the Decade’ at Cannes Lions 2020

    NEW DELHI: Procter & Gamble (P&G) is a widely-recognised face in the FMCG world with products scattered across the globe. It's not surprising that it has been recognised as the “Brand Marketer of the Decade” at Cannes Lions 2020 for its exceptional performance at the festival and its smart marketing initiatives in the 2010s. The brand has remained in the top six brands at Cannes Lions for the whole decade and has won this prestigious honour twice. The other top two brands in the category were Nike and Volkswagen. 

    Procter & Gamble has been one of the most prominent winners at the Cannes Lions in the past decade and along with its agency partners has many awards to the names of its groundbreaking campaigns. Some of the biggest and most popular campaigns to win recognition at Cannes festival of creativity are The Man Your Man by Old Spice (2010), The Response Campaign, Smell Like a Man, by Old Spice (2011), Touch the Pickle by Whisper (2015), Handle By Care by Gillette (2017), Touch of Care by Vicks (2017) and It’s a Tide Campaign by Tide (2018).

    In 2019, it picked 15 Cannes Lions and also brought a few of its latest technologies and innovations to Cannes Lions in the P&G LifeLab.

    Procter & Gamble chief brand officer Marc S Pritchard said, “P&G is so humbled and honoured to be recognised as the brand marketer of the decade, but there is still more to do and we will continue to do so.” He also emphasised on the need to use creativity as a voice for good and as a force of change. 

    Additionally, Wieden+Kennedy, Portland has been awarded the 'Independent Agency of the Decade' for dominating the top agency rankings continuously for the past ten years, never lower than the fourth position, and claiming the top spot no less than four times. 

    The agency has been associated with some of the most iconic Cannes Lions-winning campaigns including Write The Future by Nike, Smell Like A Man by Procter & Gamble, Coke Polar Bowl by Coca-Cola Company, Nothing Beats a Londener and Dream Crazyby Nike. 

    The awards were announced under its ‘Global Lions Creativity Report of the Decade’, which will be released at the festival on 26 June. 

    Other awardees include

    Agency of the Decade – North America won by Wieden+Kennedy, Portland 

    Agency of the Decade – Latin America won by Almap BBDO, Sao Paulo 

    Agency of the Decade – Asia won by Dentsu Inc., Tokyo 

    Agency of the Decade – Pacific won by Colenso BBDO, Auckland 

    Agency of the Decade – Europe won by adam&eveDDB, London

    Agency of the Decade – MEA won by VMLY&R, Dubai

    Holding Company of the Decade, Network of the Decade, Agency of the Decade, Independent Agency of the Decade, and Palme d’Or of the Decade were yet to be announced at the time of filing. 

  • Godrej and P&G new entrant among top 10 advertisers this week in HSM

    Godrej and P&G new entrant among top 10 advertisers this week in HSM

    MUMBAI: Godrej and P&G are the new entrants amongst the top 10 advertisers in the Hindi-speaking market this week as compared to week 16, the seventh edition of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India and Nielsen India joint report on crisis consumption mentions.

    Hindustan Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser and Government of India continue to remain at the top three positions during week 17. The other brands such as Amazon, Netflix, Colgate, GMMFC and Flipkart has seen a marginal drop in the FCT, the report states.

  • WFA launches new guide on diversity, inclusion in marketing

    WFA launches new guide on diversity, inclusion in marketing

    MUMBAI: The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) has published a new guide on diversity and inclusion in the marketing industry, providing brand marketers and their agencies with insights and actionable recommendations to improve performance in this critical area.

    The aim of the new report is to share good practices and insights in relation to internal company policies and set-ups as well as how to improve the content of brand communications so that the myriad of different consumers, partners and employees who make up a brands’ universe feel truly represented.

    The report also celebrates work that champions accurate and progressive representations of race and ethnicity, ability, sexuality, gender identity and age in a sensitive and inclusive manner as well as highlighting the challenges that indiscriminate use of programmatic blacklists can create for brands that seek to promote diversity.  Lastly, it highlights the journeys that some leading brands have embarked on and their visions for diversity and inclusion in the industry.

    The initiative seeks to respond to a growing perception within the industry that advertising is falling short on its ability to be inclusive. A global study conducted by IPSOS found that 72 per cent of respondents felt most advertising does not reflect the world around them. Sixty-three per cent claimed they don’t see themselves represented in most advertising, and 60 per cent say they don’t see their community of friends, family, and acquaintances represented accurately.

    WFA is also setting up a task force to encourage the industry to take on these challenges and has named Belinda Smith, until recently EA’s head of global marketing intelligence, and Jerry Daykin, senior media director for EMEA at GSK Consumer Health, as WFA diversity ambassadors and co-facilitators of the new group. The brief will be to challenge the wider industry both inside and outside WFA membership to better represent and champion diverse identities and combinations of identities.

    Other members of the task force include senior executives from brands and agencies, including Bank of Nigeria, Brand Advance, Diageo, Forsman & Bodenfors, Kin, Mastercard, P&G, Publicis and Unilever.

    As a first step, WFA, with input from its task force members, will be creating a toolkit of online resources to enable brand owners and all other stakeholders in the industry to access best-practice thinking across the key areas highlighted in the report as well as areas of intersectionality, which acknowledge the complex overlapping of social and political identities.

    “We’re delighted to launch this initiative, which follows on from our previous work on progressive gender portrayals and builds on the brilliant efforts of many other members of our industry. Diversity matters now more than ever. It’s the lifeblood of empathy and creativity, two key characteristics which are coming to the fore at this time of crisis and two critical ingredients to the continued success of our industry,” said WFA CEO Stephan Loerke.  

    “Diversity is not just one thing. We cannot make meaningful change by focusing only on gender or other singular traits. Our work must be inclusive, focusing on the richness and intersections of identities that we carry both as consumers and employees. We must strive to improve the experiences of all,” said Belinda Smith.

    “Our content reaches billions of people every day; we can use that reach to positively challenge social expectations. Diversity doesn’t have to be the main subject of an advertisement – casually improving representation across your output helps to normalise diverse communities and reflects the world without virtue signalling,” said Jerry Daykin.

    To further raise awareness of the report and some of its findings, WFA will organise a webinar on 12 May outlining key steps that brands can take to improve performance in these areas, hosted by Belinda Smith and Jerry Daykin. Additional webinars will be organised over the course of the year to provide a more in-depth dive into specific areas of action highlighted in the guide.

    Marc Pritchard, chief brand officer of P&G, said: “What if all brands and companies, individually and collectively, used their reach and voice in advertising as a force for good to eliminate bias and promote equality? Imagine the impact. Each of us can individually do our part, and collectively, we can be an even more powerful force for good and growth in accelerating to equal.”

    Syl Saller, chief marketing and innovation officer, Diageo: “Through the millennia, culture has been shaped by the stories we tell and if you think about it, advertising is telling stories that are backed by billions of dollars to have them heard. I am convinced we can normalize gender equality with what we choose to show in our ads, and who we choose to make them.”

    Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communications officer, Mastercard, said: “As an industry, it is our job to represent and reflect the lives of the people we want to have a conversation with; that means we must authentically celebrate diversity and stand for purpose in our marketing. If we ignore them, they most certainly will ignore us—and that’s the antithesis of what we do.”

    Aline Santos, EVP global marketing and chief diversity & inclusion Officer, Unilever: “To create truly diverse, inclusive and unstereotypical branded communications we need to view people in the round and take a holistic approach to understanding the people we represent. The conversation around gender has moved on and when we consider factors beyond gender such as race, class, education, age, ability and sexuality, we get closer to the multi-faceted nature of people and the lives they live.”

    Jane Wakely, lead chief marketing officer, Mars Incorporated: “Our brands have the power to influence culture and shape the inclusive world we want to see tomorrow. With that comes a responsibility to represent the diverse world we live in today. It’s time for us to collectively step-up as an industry and use the reach and creative storytelling we are so proud of, to help shape a future that everyone can feel part of.”

    Tamara Rogers, CMO, GSK Consumer Healthcare: “We live in a world rich with diversity, and globally we are taking too long to embrace that. Brands have the power to shape and influence culture. We need to take that power seriously—to use it for good, and create un-stereotyped, meaningful, and effective communication to drive the cultural change we need.”

  • Ariel releases #ShareTheLoad video on International ASMR Day

    Ariel releases #ShareTheLoad video on International ASMR Day

    MUMBAI:  On this International ASMR Day, Ariel India is giving men yet another reason to #ShareTheLoad of domestic tasks, and giving women a way to relax, stay calm and sleep better! 

    The unequal division of domestic chores has been a reality for generations. Even today, 71 per cent women sleep less than their husbands due to this inequality. 

    Ariel’s latest ShareTheLoad movement- #ShareTheLoad for Equal Sleep is all about impact and action. Uneven division of household chores like laundry is coming in the way of women getting enough sleep and rest. Taking the conversation further and in context of the current times, today on International ASMR Day, Ariel collaborated with American ASMR youtuber and artist GIBI ASMR to curate a #ShareTheLoad ASMR. This ASMR video is a depiction of a husband doing the laundry, the sound of which is calming for the women! Nothing is more blissful for women than the sound of some household chores being done by men and being done well!  When women are assured that the household chores are being taken care of, they can relax and sleep better.

    The video is of six minutes and teaches men to take up task like laundry as it is the easiest task to get started with. The Ariel #ShareTheLoad ASMR video teaches men the simple step of laundry. It serves two purposes- Men learning how to do laundry and the therapeutic and soothing sound of the chore when partners take up laundry that can help women relax or sleep better.

    ASMR stands for "Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response”. It is the term for the strange, tingly sensation people get when they watch stimulating videos that could help them relax and can even cause them to fall asleep. Such videos are very popular globally and are deemed very helpful in calming down anxiety. Gibi, who has around 2.53 million subscribers on YouTube, is globally renowned for her variety of ASMR videos. 

    Ariel’s ASMR video in partnership with Gibi is calming and relaxing. Working from Home is enabling families to bond better and spend quality time together. Ariel’s ShareTheLoad campaign has an uncanny resemblance to the current scenario and harps on the need for equal household for happier homes.

    Elated with the first of its kind laundry ASMR, P&G India and head fabric care Indian subcontinent CMO Sharat Verma said, “Ariel’s ShareTheLoad movement, which started five years back, has been sparking conversations to promote gender equality in the household by propagating the equal distribution of household chores. The message is more relevant now than ever …when the home is also an office, school and playground. Research tells us that households where partners share the load, make happier homes. It’s important that women get equal rest and sleep. Gibi’s ASMR video aims to help more and more women unwind using relaxing sounds and sights while inspiring more men to #ShareTheLoad.”

    About the Ariel #ShareTheLoad ASMR, GIBI said, “Sleep can continuously be pushed down the list of people's priorities, even when it's so important to let your body rest and recover. When we compromise sleep, rest, and relaxation because of such a societal pressure to get everything done on our own, it can wear down on us not only physically, but mentally as well. I was touched by the Ariel #ShareTheLoad campaign because it's a message that I believe doesn't get looked at enough. I know how important it is in my own household that my partner and I share the load for our own mental health, and I hope this message reaches families and partnerships in India and beyond! There truly is nothing more relaxing than knowing that your partner or your family has your back — that even though there's work to be done, you can get it done together; it doesn't always have to be just you. So, my beautiful ladies in India, this one's for you! Let's sit back, relax, and let your partners take up the laundry for a change while you enjoy this ASMR video!"

    Link to the video- https://youtu.be/J01nO_rYpMw

  • Ariel’s #ShareTheLoad campaign focuses on women’s sleep deprivation issues due to household work

    Ariel’s #ShareTheLoad campaign focuses on women’s sleep deprivation issues due to household work

    MUMBAI: While most ads propagated the notion that women bear all the brunt of housework, Ariel India was the first to break that stereotype a few years ago. The successful #ShareTheLoad campaign revolved around the unequal division of domestic chores, urging men to take up more responsibility. Continuing its mission, the fourth edition of the campaign, #EqualSleep, addresses the issue of sleep deprivation due to excessive household work which affects 71 per cent of women.

    Let’s rewind. In 2015, Ariel India raised a triggering question ‘Is laundry only a woman’s job?’ followed by ‘Dads Share the Load’ in 2016. This helped locate the root cause and the stigma of prejudice passed down from one generation to the next. In 2019, it started to drive action with sons urging parents to raise them like they have been raising their daughters, so that the future generation is more equal.

    P&G India CMO and fabric care head for the Indian subcontinent Sharat Verma says that the aim of #EqualSleep is to highlight how women compromise their sleep, downtime, rest and personal time to provide her very best to the family and her career.

    “Even within progressive households, where men have started to increase their involvement in domestic chores, the woman still takes the onus of getting everything done; the mental load is still only hers. When men don’t share the load, what ends up getting impacted is something as basic as sleep. Lack of sleep is, thus, almost an indicator of the inequality within the household. Hence, with this chapter, Ariel seeks to drive action, urging men to take the first step to #ShareTheLaundry and eventually, #ShareTheLoad for #EqualSleep,” he says.

    An Ariel India survey found that from 79 per cent men in 2014 who thought laundry was only a woman’s job, the number has steadily declined to 41 per cent in 2019. However, even today, only 35 per cent of men contribute daily to household chores. In a survey, most men agree that washing clothes in a machine are the easiest chore for them to start taking over. 

    Verma went on to add that the campaign shifted from showing that men weren’t sharing the load to showing how this decision impacts women. Uneven division of household chores like laundry is coming in the way of women getting enough sleep and rest with at least one hour of sleep that these women give up every day, over seven days that accounts to almost an entire night’s sleep that is lost every week, due to the uneven distribution of domestic responsibility 

    The film, conceptualised by BBDO, is depicted from the eyes of a little girl devoid of any conditioning; she notices her mom is missing at night while she is asleep and continues to notice her running around doing multiple things, tired and sleepy. The father’s moment of realisation is also in a way driven by the daughter missing her mom at night.

    BBDO India chairman Josy Paul said, “We started with ‘the condition' in 2015 – Is laundry only a woman’s job? In 2019 we focused on the younger generation, who if raised in a balanced manner, will grow up to be a generation of equals. This year, we make men realise the severe impact on their partners/ wives when they don’t share the load at home i.e., unequal sleep.”

    With every passing year, both BBDO and Airel have the challenge of coming up with the next round of an impactful #ShareTheLoad campaign. How do they manage it? “When thinking of the next leg, we realign ourselves with the evolved cultural context of current times. Society today is not the same as it was two years ago. Similarly, family and couple dynamics are not the same. So, we have to root ourselves in the reality of today. As a creative team, when we observe society, we see laundry as one of those daily chores where the distribution of load is uneven.  Laundry, here, is the face of the movement,” Paul concludes.

  • Bhojpuri market is a priority for all FMCG brands: Enterr10’s Joy Chakraborthy

    Bhojpuri market is a priority for all FMCG brands: Enterr10’s Joy Chakraborthy

    MUMBAI: Bhojpuri content has been giving a tough time to its Hindi counterparts if one goes by weekly Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) data. In week 45, as in several others, the channel was leading with 63910 weekly impressions (000s). Apart from grabbing the viewership, the FTA channel is also in the top priority list of the advertisers who are targeting the Hindi-speaking belt.

    In an interaction with Indiantelevision.com, Enterr10 CEO Joy Chakraborthy informed that 70 per cent of advertising on television is from FMCG brands. When the entire industry was down, television or GECs didn't suffer much due to the FMCG sector. "Bhojpuri market has been a revelation in the last few years as it has a huge population base and it covers Bihar, Jharkhand, UP and Uttrakhand which is primarily the Hindi belt. The market is a single regional market that is a priority for all FMCG brands," said Chakraborthy.

    He further said, "This is a priority market for FMCGs and Bhojpuri Cinema is a leader channel in that market. We have most of the FMCG brands on board, HUL, P&G, Dabur, etc, to name a few. We may have said no to certain brands in case they don’t fit in our rate bracket." However, the sector is largely dependent on national advertisers as the regional one are unable to fit into the channel’s advertising bracket.

    Chakraborthy states that advertisers can avoid the network if they are targeting Mumbai and Delhi but they can't if they are targeting Hindi belt. “We are three to four times ahead of anybody. We are on very high demands in categories which are focusing on Hindi belt," he said.

    Even though Bhojpuri Cinema has been present since 2015, Chakraborthy says that the space is getting competitive only now. “That gives us a larger incentive to strive, think differently and maintain our number one status. This channel is definitely advertisers delight,” he said. The channel has also changed its strategy and is now taking business based on ER (engagement rates) only. “We are seeing good growth on our ERs and this is reflected in the market and people have started accepting us. We started selling proper time-band. Earlier, we were only selling primetime but now we started selling non-primetime. We also started selling fixed programme rates," he said.

    The channel has 350+ movies in its library along with the recently launched World Television Premiere slot, which airs fresh content on the channel every Saturday.

    "The reach of Bhojpuri Cinema is unparallel in the market and that is across urban and rural. We have the biggest library and are the first destination for film sellers as everyone wants their films to be aired on the no. 1 channel. This is what also gets us the advertising premium. The channel believes in ROI and provides content that is advertising-friendly. The aim to maintain and grow the leadership position is a clear objective. We have a hold on distribution as well as right content procurement to help reach this goal and remain the most sought-after Bhojpuri channel for advertisers," he stated.

    The content aired on the channel largely consists of Bhojpuri films and high-impact Bhojpuri award shows/events. "There is no match with the movie content that we have and that is the reason why when you see the adex, maximum no of brands are onboard.  The strength of the channel is its unparallel film content that delivers steady ratings. In addition to that, the high-impact, star-studded award shows and events give a huge spike," he opined.

  • P&G ups ad expenses as profit hit by slowing economy

    P&G ups ad expenses as profit hit by slowing economy

    BENGALURU: FMCG player Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Ltd (P&G) reported 7.6 percent year-on-year (y-o-y) growth in revenue from operations for the quarter ended 30 September 2019 (Q1 2020, quarter or period under review) as compared to the corresponding year ago quarter Q1 2019. P&G’s financial year is between 1 July and 30 June, hence the quarter ended September 30, 2019 is Q1 2020 in the case of P&G.

    During a period in which the world is witnessing economic sluggishness, the company increased its advertising and sales promo spends for the quarter under review by 25.6 percent y-o-y to Rs 104.46 crore from Rs 83.2 crore. The company reported 5 percent y-o-y decline in Q1 2020 in Net profit after tax (PAT) at Rs 136.84 crore as compared to Rs 144.11 crore. EBITDA for the quarter under review declined 5.4 percent y-o-y to Rs 173.55 crore (20.4 percent of operating review) as compared to Rs 183.53 crore (20.2 percent of operating review).

    P&G revenue from operations for Q1 2020 increased to Rs 852.14 crore from Rs 791.80 crore in Q1 2019. Total Income including other income increased 5.9 percent y-o-y in Q1 2020 to Rs 863.16 from Rs 815.36 crore.

    Let us look at the other numbers reported by P&G

    Total Expense in Q1 2020 increased 14.6 percent y-o-y to Rs 681.78 crore from Rs 594.73 crore. Expenses towards costs of raw materials and packaging materials increased 28.5 percent y-o-y to Rs 334.88 crore in Q1 2020 from Rs 260.51 crore. Purchase of traded goods declined 89.2 percent y-o-y to Rs 11.27 crore from Rs 104.27 crore.

    Employee Benefits Expense in Q1 2020 increased 17.5 percent y-o-y to Rs 42.07 crore from Rs 35.81 crore. Finance costs declined 14.3 percent to Rs 0.36 crore from Rs 0.42 crore. Other Expense increased 25.6 percent y-o-y to Rs 185.91 crore from Rs 148.04 crore.

    Company speak

    The company says in a press release that in a challenging market environment, its Feminine Care business registered strong double-digit growth in the quarter, while its Health Care business grew ahead of the market.

    P&G managing director Madhusudan Gopalan said, “In a challenging macro-economic environment our focus on raising the bar on superiority, improving

    productivity, and strengthening the organisation culture has enabled us to deliver sustained growth during the first quarter. We will continue to remain focused on these strategies in line with our aim to drive balanced sales and profit growth.”

  • Ariel marks Women’s Day with Captain Marvel screening for all the Superwomen

    Ariel marks Women’s Day with Captain Marvel screening for all the Superwomen

    MUMBAI: This Women’s Day, Ariel partnered with PVR to host a special screening of the movie, Captain Marvel.  Ariel’s latest campaign Sons #ShareTheLoad emphasises on the need for sons to #ShareTheLoad when it comes to household chores. This partnership encourages all men (sons and husbands) to treat their Supermoms and Superwives to a superhero movie, Captain Marvel, because they will #ShareTheLoad and do household tasks together.

    Popular television actors and real-life couple – Ravi Dubey, Sargun Mehta along with Ravi’s Mom Sudha Dubey were present at the special screening in Delhi and even interacted with consumers, bloggers, and media. They emphasised on the need for gender parity in a relationship and having an equal household. Sargun and Ravi also thanked Ravi’s mom Sudha for instilling in him at a young age the importance of doing household chores like laundry and cooking hence enabling them to be a Super Couple today as they #ShareTheLoad.

    Ariel also invited men to record a personal message for their Superwoman, which Ariel will send out on their behalf. To further normalise men doing household chores like laundry, Ariel has put up eye-catching installations at PVR theatres across Delhi and Mumbai. A special screening has been arranged in both cities for Ariel’s #MyCaptainMarvelous online-contest winners, bloggers and other marvel enthusiasts. The men in the audience were also taught how to do laundry, so they can go back home and #ShareTheload – EVERYDAY!

    The newly-released edition of #ShareTheLoad raises yet another pertinent question in the direction of household inequality – Are we teaching our sons what we are teaching our daughters? The film that urges mothers of today’s generation to raise a generation of equals has resonated with many parents, newly married couples, influencers and has already received tremendous support and commendation from audiences across India. The film that released on 24 January 2019 garnered 25 million views in 1 month, and they have just begun! Ariel continues to have this conversation by making laundry the face of the movement against inequality within households, because with Ariel, anyone can get best results no matter who does the laundry. 

  • Ariel’s #ShareTheLoad campaign turning purpose into desirability and sales

    Ariel’s #ShareTheLoad campaign turning purpose into desirability and sales

    MUMBAI: Brands today aren’t just selling products, but are providing unique experiences that merge with their identity and consumers’ lives. Technically called purpose-driven marketing, the campaigns tend to touch the right chords.

    A number of national and international brands are currently using this mode of marketing to place their products not only on the shelves but also in the conscience of the consumers and laundry detergent brand from the vast portfolio of Procter and Gamble (P&G), Ariel has been one of the forerunners to use this power of brand image and loyalty into communicating something larger to the society.

    #ShareTheLoad campaign, which launched its first edition in 2015, is one of the most beautiful campaigns driving the message of ending gender-parity at home. The brand released its third edition (http://www.indiantelevision.com/mam/media-and-advertising/ad-campaigns/ariel-reignites-conversations-on-household-inequality-with-a-new-campaign-sons-sharetheload-190124) recently, and within a few days, its digital campaign has garnered 15 million views and a lot of praise online, including one from Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. Indiantelevision.com interacted with P&G India, and fabric care marketing director Sonali Dhawan, and BBDO  chairman and chief creative officer Josy Paul regarding what makes this campaign different from other purpose-driven ads in the market and what all went behind in creating its immense success.

    Dhawan shared that for her this is not ‘purpose-driven marketing’ but something greater than that. She noted, “Yes, there is a purpose to the marketing but that doesn’t mean any brand can make ads on any particular purpose. There are two very important things, which, if in place, can take the campaign indefinitely. First, is that your product should play a role in the social change you want to affect and second is that your brand should be in a position to influence. For us, the starting point of #ShareTheLoad campaign was the fact that Ariel makes it so easy to do the laundry that anyone can take it up. Ariel thus has a very important role in the conversation and that role can be expanded for a lot of causes.”

    Paul also reflected the same sentiments as he reflected, “There are a lot of people jumping in with cause and purpose but ‘without purpose’. What I believe is that the brand has to have not only the authority [to promote an idea] but it [the idea] has to be linked with what the brand can offer. When we say ‘share the load’, it actually resides in the basic truth about the product and the brand. We say it can wash the toughest stains and anyone can do it. That ‘…and anyone can do it’ is what Ariel reflects. It is linked to the brand promise and therefore we earn the license to say this.”

    The campaign has not only initiated a change in the core of the society at a very important juncture in time when women equality is actually a massive global phenomenon but has also helped the brand in increasing its sales. That makes it the perfect campaign to support the idea of equality while it also pushes the brand to perform.

    According to Dhawan, the reason behind this has been the authenticity with which the brand creates its campaigns. “If the brand is not authentic in its approach towards the campaign, the audience can read through it. P&G has always been authentic in its conversations. Be it Whisper talking about period taboos because it is a brand associated with periods, or be it Pampers talking about it takes two to parenting approach because it is a brand for babies. It is not about any brand picking any topic and saying I want to talk about it because I have the eyeballs there. Then the campaign will not make any impact,” she said.

    And how did they realise that its approach has to be towards targeting gender-parity? To this Dhawan replied that the idea came from the core thought of how their brand is affecting consumers’ lives. During a consumer interaction they heard women saying that it is so easy to do laundry with Ariel that they can now share the load with their kids, or their husbands. “At the same time, we did a Nielsen survey because we wanted to understand the state of the society in terms of equality at home. That survey showed us that 79 per cent of the men thought that household chores were only a woman’s job. We saw that there was huge inequality between the genders at homes. This was the second realisation, the first being that my product is great and it can help in many ways.”

    That’s when BBDO came in with the pitch of #ShareTheLoad campaign that talks about addressing the core of the problem—that is the conditioning people are given since childhood. The campaign started with a simple question “Is laundry only a woman’s job?”

    Paul shared, “When you start you do not plan that it will go into phase two or phase three. It starts with just an idea. But when we saw the response to our first campaign we realised that it was not just another campaign but a movement.”

    He further added, “The thing about a movement is that it is very dynamic. It’s not like a campaign where you plan something and now you push it out in the media and get it to distributing. Here you are constantly watching how the audience is reacting to it. So lot of social listening and observations happened and we realised that the campaign or the movement is working. People want to get involved, partners want to get involved, and then the client [Ariel] came to us that they want to go ahead with phase two of it.”

    Paul also shared how such campaigns serve a dual purpose of encouraging a change and also help the brand to grow. He said, “The beauty of this is not that it is just about social change. It is purpose-driven but it’s also something that talks about the brand. It allows the brand to be more loved. So, it’s quite interesting how purpose turns into love, love turns into desirability, and desirability turns into sales through such initiatives.”