Listerine
A daily routine sold on a positive, not on fear.
Listerine dropped fear-based messaging for a positive routine. Same Same, But Different used twins, dance and music to show 30 days of daily mouthwash use.
the challenge
Listerine aimed to understand new ways to engage consumers with product messaging and promote regular usage. Consumers see the mouthwash category as something they use to reduce bad breath when needed, but killing the bacteria that cause it requires daily usage. How could the brand talk in an engaging way about how consumers should use a product they think they know?
the strategic choice
Create a positive message about regular mouthwash usage that doesn’t rely on fear. Instead make users think about a new benefit and routine over time they can build towards with Listerine.
my contribution
Head of Strategy at VaynerMedia EMEA.
what changed
The campaign was tested against the previous year’s creative idea in a closed Google ecosystem A / B test. It delivered significantly higher brand uplift and consideration relative to the previous campaign and category norms for the UK.
The insight
Most mouthwash ads are fear-based and therefore something consumers don’t want to regularly think about. The category has operated on a fear and risk model that drives sporadic usage, but won’t create a routine because it lacks a consistent positive.
The strategy
Tell the story of mouthwash usage through twins in a positive digital and social media campaign that avoids fear or clinical imagery. ‘Same Same, but Different’ uses dance and music to show how one twin is more confident and happier with her breath after thirty days of usage vs. another.
The work
