This social media video for Ariel washing Powder was hailed by Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg as “one of the most powerful” she’d ever seen. The Indian ad campaign encouraged men to do their fair share of housework.
Case study summary
• Video and social campaign encourages people to rethink gender equality at home
• Features a father sad at how stereotypes and his own behaviour have contributed to his daughter’s situation
• About 2.1 million men in India pledged to #ShareTheLoad on social media campaign
The challenge
To try and dispel the myth that n laundry is only a woman’s job, the P&G-owned brand built a social movement inviting men to #ShareTheLoad. Taking a step further, this year Ariel strived to empower the Indian woman to ensure that men set the right example that is getting carried from generation to generation declaring a clarion call for Dads to #ShareTheLoad.
The Solution
The ad was created by BBDO India and is told from the perspective of a father who watches his career-minded daughter come home from work and clean up for her husband.
As he composes a letter to his daughter in his mind, the father laments how stereotypes and his own behaviour have contributed to her situation and vows to change.
The Dads #ShareTheLoad campaign by BBDO India encourages people to rethink gender equality at home.
Procter & Gamble partnered with India’s cultural calendar assigning laundry to her on even days and him on odd days.
The results
About 2.1 million men in India pledged to #ShareTheLoad.
Josy Paul, Chief Creative Officer, BBDO India said, “Share the Load is not just a campaign, it’s a movement for change. By raising a mirror to society, the brand is seeking a better world where there’s equality in household chores, specially laundry. We were looking for a deeper message. We felt there’s a need for a bigger story of self-examination, realization and reconciliation. We were looking for something with greater empathy and authenticity… something that more people could relate to. That was our big thing… to create greater understanding and genuine change. The movement going forward will have more elements to help drive behavioural change in the area of laundry. It’s all very exciting.”