Everyone knows that germs exist in the most obvious places such as toilets and swimming pools. But not everyone knows that they also hide in unexpected places such as supermarkets and mobile phones.

Lifebuoy, one of Unilever’s oldest brands and world’s number one germ protection soap believes prevention is better than cure. Its purpose is to help moms ensure their kids fall ill a little less often. So the brief was to highlight dangers that lurk around us in an unconventional manner.

However, Lifebuoy was witnessing major competition from Dettol and wasn’t able to compete with Dettol in mass media spend.

Our objectives:

Marketing KPI:

• Disrupt Dettol ATL marketing dominance with breakthrough communication.

Commercial KPI:

• Increase sales across the Lifebuoy range by 20%.

Communication KPI:

• Increase brand awareness and understanding of Lifebuoys mission to stay one step ahead of infections whilst differentiating the brand from Dettol.

The Handle on Hygiene 1.0 model took over 9 months of development. 6 prototypes were developed during the beta phase ensuring that the brand lived up to its promise.

To get maximum exposure, Lifebuoy teamed up with supermarket giants Carrefour in the Middle East. Trolleys were equipped with the device overnight. As a result, shoppers were able to get a hold of a unique shopping trolley providing them with a germ free journey.

Messaging on the handle clearly gave directions on how to use the product allowing shoppers to not only interact but also drive them to the Lifebuoy aisle.

The initiative was further published across social media channels i.e. Facebook, YouTube. Consumers were shown how the product functioned and the benefits of a germ free shopping experience. Bloggers and online news channels gave the initiative thousands of impressions globally, changing the way shoppers perceive Lifebuoy as a brand.