Vanish can be found under every kitchen sink in the country. The problem is, that’s where it’s always stayed – emerging only on the occasion we want something to tackle stains. So, as consumer needs have evolved over time, so has Vanish. With a recent reformulation, it’s become a multi-action laundry booster - eliminating odour and protecting colour too. This triple benefit helps clothes stay fresh and vibrant, meaning they can be re-worn for longer.

Amidst growing concern over the environmental impact of clothing waste, this evolution unlocked a new direction for the brand. Making clothes last longer could help people reduce their clothing ‘footprint’ even as they got more mileage from their fashion choices. It was a more relatable brand benefit for Vanish and one that could help us address our objective of getting Vanish in more wash-loads in more households.

At the heart of Vanish’s new brand platform is a deceptively simple creative idea – Rewear. Rewear brings to life the positive impact we can make by ‘shopping our own wardrobes’. It reframes people’s perceptions of Vanish by encouraging them to better express themselves through the clothes they already own – elevating the brand from functional laundry additive to an enabler of both personal style and smarter choices.

As well as helping to create a role for existing Vanish products in every wash, it has also inspired the development of new products such as Vanish Miracle, devised to restore and revitalise garments that are already past their best. Furthermore, through Vanish co-commissioning a research paper with the Institute of Positive Fashion, alongside brands like Nike and ASOS, it has opened the door for purpose-led initiatives that educate and empower people in the UK to take action against clothes waste themselves.

The focus of the campaign was on driving reappraisal amongst existing buyers who still thought of Vanish as a stain remover. Nonetheless, we recognised a further opportunity to find common ground with a group of younger buyers beyond our core audience – safeguarding future revenue.

Both these audiences stood to gain from re-wearing clothes they already own and love. Yet our research showed they didn’t. Influenced by three decades of fast-fashion culture, people have instead been conditioned to treat once treasured garments as disposable items. This understanding was the foundation of a powerful new positioning for the brand, giving Vanish a role that went further than just laundry. Vanish is now on hand to not only remove stains, but to keep clothes looking their best so they can be worn again and again – all of which gives us a clear role in tackling unnecessary clothing waste.

Launching Rewear and giving the brand a credible role to play in the fight for garment sustainability meant first giving Vanish a voice. In partnership with the British Fashion Council, we created a three-part documentary, and longer film – Generation Rewear – to educate our audience on the impact of their fashion habits. Launched during London Fashion Week on Amazon, the film champions the designers, entrepreneurs and everyday people at the forefront of sustainable fashion – united by the goal of reducing our impact on the environment to re-think the design, manufacture and care of our clothes.

This captivating film helped connect with our audience in a new way. We cut through the clutter of brand TV ads in the category, by telling the story on a legitimate and authentic entertainment platform.

The success of this launch was immediately evident. Generation Rewear was the most viewed piece of content during London Fashion Week – recording more visits than even the runway shows. Feeding off this excitement, and with help from influencers recruited through the BFC partnership, the film reached an audience of over 10 million across Instagram and YouTube, with over 80K views. This success was replicated across Amazon properties, where Generation Rewear has since reached a further 8 million people and received another 63K views.

These statistics would mean nothing were it not for a corresponding shift in attitudes toward the brand. Amongst viewers of the documentary, associations between Vanish and sustainable garment care increased by 7.7x. This impact was linked in turn to a measured uplift of 230% in purchase intent, demonstrating how Generation Rewear was able to help us deliver against both long- and short-term objectives.