TL;DR (A QUICK SUMMARY)

Arm & Hammer was losing ground to cheaper private label baking soda after a price increase in a commoditized category. We reframed baking soda from a pantry staple to a catalyst for curiosity by launching Arm & Hammer Bottle Rocket Day, a national STEAM initiative that turned a familiar household product into a hands-on science experience for kids and parents. By giving families a meaningful reason to choose the brand, we defended against private labels, reignited brand love, and drove measurable gains in affinity and purchase intent.

THE BRIEF

Background

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda is one of the most iconic products in American households, trusted for generations and used for everything from baking to cleaning. But in a category defined by a single ingredient with cheaper options, brand loyalty is fragile.

Challenge

After taking price, Arm & Hammer Baking Soda saw declines in volume and units as shoppers increasingly opted for lower-priced private labels. These alternatives offered the same core ingredient and were perceived as equal in quality, making price the primary decision driver at shelf.

The challenge was clear: how do you defend a higher-priced product in a category where sameness dominates and future-proof the brand against continued private label pressure?

Assignment

Defend Arm & Hammer Baking Soda against private labels by giving families a meaningful, emotional reason to choose the brand beyond price.

Target

Busy “Do It All” parents aged 25 to 49 with young kids at home.

They live life on a schedule, constantly checking boxes and moving from task to task. While value-conscious, they are willing to choose brands when given a compelling reason. Finding time to truly connect with their kids is difficult, and moments of shared joy often get lost in the rush of everyday life.

Strategy

Transform Arm & Hammer Baking Soda from a passive pantry staple into an active source of joy, creativity, and imagination through STEAM.

Rather than competing on function in a commoditized category, we looked for a way to elevate the brand’s role in our consumer’s lives. STEAM provided the opportunity to reposition baking soda as a tool that sparks curiosity, encourages hands-on learning, and creates meaningful moments between parents and kids.

Arm & Hammer would become the brand that helps unlock childlike wonder using something already found in the home.

The Idea

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Bottle Rocket Day!

On October 10, 2024, Arm & Hammer launched its first annual Baking Soda Bottle Rocket Day, inviting students across the United States to build and launch baking soda bottle rockets using everyday household materials.

The initiative brought science to life through play, showing families that learning does not require expensive kits or complex tools, just curiosity and a box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda.

Partnering with Emily Calandrelli (“The Space Gal”), Blue Origin's Club for the Future, Space Center Houston, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, and U.S. Space and Rocket Center, the initiative was designed to spark curiosity through hands-on science, with materials already found around the home, and inspire students to imagine their place in the future of space exploration.

Results

Our initiative saw remarkable participation and engagement:

• Participating Cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Compton, Dallas, Huntsville, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia

• Involvement from over 180,000 students, 14,000 classrooms, and 270+ underserved schools

• Largest Baking Soda Rocket launch in history with over 5,000 launches

• Social Media Impact: 180K organic video views, 4K+ engagements, and a live appearance at the largest elementary school in America

Campaign Highlights

• Premium video and paid social media garnered 900M impressions and 3M engagements.

• Purchase intent increased by 4.5 points, and brand affinity rose by 6.3 points.