During the pandemic, there was a barrage of handwashing messages sent by numerous celebrities and influencers. Eventually people started ignoring such messages. We thought out-of-the-box and made a film with an unlikely spokesperson – a woman born without hands, Sapna Augustine. The film was released as a single social post. Despite her not being a conventional influencer, when compared to other influencers and celebrities, her message, hit home with millions. It was liked, shared, discussed and applauded across India.

In 2016, Savlon started the Savlon Swasth India Mission (Healthy India Mission) to promote handwashing as an effective habit for preventing diseases. We’ve launched innovative initiatives like Healthy Hand Chalksticks, ID-Guard and many more. This year the pandemic created a unique situation. While it made everyone realise the need to wash hands, the overkill of handwashing messages also led to people get irritated.

People started getting lax about washing hands. We had to come up with an idea that would stand out of the clutter and get people to take notice of the importance of handwashing.

To overcome the resistance to handwashing messages, we chose someone whose message couldn’t be ignored. We made someone born without hands, the spokesperson for handwash. We partnered with Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (MFPA) and via them with Swapna Augustine, a brilliant but little known foot artist.

We launched #NoHandUnwashed initiative with a film starring her. In the film she uses her feet as her hands and so it catches your attention from the first frame. It is only natural that she then uses handwash to clean her feet, asking a simple question to all of us – “If it's so easy for me to use handwash, why don't you?”

A message that could not be forgotten once heard.

One line strategy – A social media campaign for handwashing, where every piece will star people without hands.

Data showed us, due to nationwide lockdown, Indians were spending more time than ever online. So we started by launching the film Savlon Artist on You Tube,

Facebook and Instagram– in the film people saw a girl without hands giving a powerful handwashing message.

This was followed up with social posts showing handwash-themed paintings, by various foot artists from the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists.

Making sure the #NoHandUnwashed movement stays alive in India.

We started by partnering MFPA, the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists.

We made Sapna Augustine, a girl born without hands, the face of handwashing.

A film starring her was released on Global Handwashing Day, on major platforms like You Tube, Facebook and Instagram.

Soon after, social media was flooded with paintings and messages from other foot artists across India.

Making sure that the #NoHandUnwashed movement stays alive.

The video got 27.5 million views and 255.5 million impressions within a month.

Earned media coverage of the campaign by national and international publications is of an estimated value of Rs. 130 million (approx. US$ 1.8million). Picked up Indian, Japanese, UK, Spanish, Korean and Italian press.

Organic shoutouts from celebrities, including Indian superstar Amitabh Bachchan, Michelin star chef Vikas Khanna and others.

Despite fatigue caused by countless other handwashing campaigns, our communication received almost 97% positive mentions/comments.

Savlon nearly doubled its usage. Awareness-To-Trial ratio grew by 1.5X.

Savlon Handwash had grown at more than twice the rate of category (101% vs 44%), for sales volume for year ending Nov’2020.