TL;DR (A QUICK SUMMARY)

OxiClean had nearly universal awareness but lacked product-level consideration among Millennials who view laundry as a low-priority chore. To drive relevance and intent for Odor Blasters and Max Force, we built stronger associations around real-life laundry failures where detergent alone falls short. The “Talking Washing Machine” campaign used humor and memorability to show up in moments of odor and stain frustration and make OxiClean feel essential.

THE BRIEF

Background

OxiClean had extremely strong brand awareness at 98%, but low household penetration under 25%. To ensure long-term growth, the brand set out to increase penetration by down-aging its target from a mature Boomer audience to Millennials.

Research showed that Millennials approach laundry with minimal attention and effort, viewing it as a necessary chore rather than something to optimize. To resonate, OxiClean needed to shift from general brand familiarity to clearly communicating when and why its products matter.

Growth from Odor Blasters and Max Force signaled opportunity with younger consumers. These sub-brands offered benefits beyond traditional stain removal, including odor elimination and convenient spray formats that aligned with Millennial lifestyles.

Challenge

OxiClean’s challenge was not awareness, but relevance. While nearly everyone knew the brand, it was rarely top of mind when Millennials encountered the specific laundry problems OxiClean solves.

The task became building strong product-level associations that would trigger consideration and intent at the exact moment of need.

Target

Millennials aged 25 to 44 navigating transitional life stages such as new jobs, new homes, babies, and new routines. These moments introduce laundry pain points like lingering odors, forgotten loads, workout smells, and set-in stains.

They believe detergent alone should be enough, invest little mental energy in laundry, and only engage when something goes wrong.

Assignment

Drive consideration and interest for OxiClean at the product level, specifically for Odor Blasters and Max Force.

Strategy

Max Force

Max Force The pre-treater category is crowded with products that promise similar efficacy and convenience. To stand out, Max Force needed a clear and ownable reason to be chosen.

We focused on the “wash-later” benefit, positioning Max Force as the solution that lets busy Millennials treat stains immediately without committing to doing laundry right away.

Odor Blasters

For Odor Blasters, the strategy moved beyond naming odors to spotlighting the frustration of odors that linger even after washing. The work needed to be memorable enough to surface when detergent failed and clearly communicate that additional odor-fighting power was sometimes necessary.

The Idea

Talking Washing Machine

The campaign introduced a bold, comedic device: a talking washing machine with a sharp point of view. Acting as a smart-aleck voice of truth, the machine gave commentary and called out laundry must-haves.

By entertaining while educating, the work reinforced OxiClean’s role at the moment consumers realized their detergent was not enough, making the brand feel both helpful and unavoidable.

Results

The campaign exceeded benchmarks on CTV and engagement across digital assets.

• CTV is exceeded the 95% VCR benchmark for both Odor Blasters and Max Force.

• Max Force interaction rate was 15.94% vs. benchmark of 4.5%-7.5%.