2015 Winners & Shortlists

THE SCENTED CANDLES

BrandPROCTER & GAMBLE
Product/ServiceARIEL WITH A TOUCH OF DOWNY
EntrantSAATCHI & SAATCHI Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategoryFast moving consumer goods
Entrant Company SAATCHI & SAATCHI Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Advertising Agency SAATCHI & SAATCHI Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The Brief

Ariel detergent now comes with a touch of Downy, which cleans clothes as well as keeps them smelling great for days, with Downy's signature scents – Lavendar, Mint and Lime, and Jasmine. Our challenge was to promote the essence of the product in a simple, yet innovative way. The goal was to promote that just with a touch of Downy freshness and scent, clothes smell great for much, much longer.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

The key objective was to show that just with a touch of Downy freshness and scent, clothes smell great for much, much longer. This was met with challenges, the biggest of which was the simplest communication for a product that is such a basic need in all homes. Once overcome, there were challenges faced in production as we tried to best convert the candles from concept, to design, to a beautiful yet functional item. We also wanted to make sure that consumers would engage with the special edition creations, rather than just another piece of direct marketing thrown away.

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

Consumers who bought Ariel with a touch of Downy received the candles and loved using them at home, burning them or simply trying to collect the whole set. Hundreds of consumers sent us images of them interacting with the candles. Design enthusiasts went out of their way to buy the product to receive the candles. During the same period, sales of Ariel with a touch of Downy also increased. In research, awareness levels rose also - partly due to the close communities many of the consumers belong to. Images of people holding the special edition candles spread in these communities.

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

We came up with the idea of creating scented candles in the shape of clothing items. Something people could hold, and smell. This added to the USP - clothes smell great for longer with Ariel with a touch of Downy. We added an element of humor by creating a set of collectibles in the shape of underpants, a corset, socks, a vest, and a t-shirt. Through a process of sketches, models, color and material swatches, and scent-creation and testing, we arrived at the current sleek, modern and minimalistic designs.

Credits

Name Company Role
Richard Copping Saatchi/Saatchi Executive Creative Director
Wayne Fernandes Saatchi/Saatchi Copywriter
Sarah Pollard Saatchi/Saatchi Art Director
Anika Marya Saatchi/Saatchi Art Director
Raja Rizkallah Saatchi/Saatchi Art Director
Sarah Mamlouk Saatchi/Saatchi Designer
Sachinn J/Laala Saatchi/Saatchi Group Account Director
Emaad Khan Saatchi/Saatchi Account Manager
Nina Cherian Saatchi/Saatchi Creative Manager
Simon Raffaghello Saatchi/Saatchi Copywriter