MANILA – How many times have we seen antibacterial brands advertise using the same tired rhetoric–and often, with a medical professional to boot? Have you seen the Hygienix Shower Rangers unleashing their Shower Power Kick and Hygienix Powerblast on the vile Germdugo? The newest Hygienix campaign by Splash Corp. breathes life into and energizes the way antibacterial soap and alcohol are advertised. It’s all part of the #FightWorldGermination campaign by Hygienix.
The nod toward superhero team TV shows that dominated Philippine screens in the 1990s was a choice that aligned with the brand ’s strategy. “We wanted to change the conversation around the antibacterial category and show that though it is a serious matter, it can be fun and entertaining–yet still credible,” says Splash Corp.’s Joyce Jacobe. “Germ killing is actually a serious business, but we did it in a fun way while maintaining credibility. Splash Corp. has been pushing the envelope when it comes to creating ads. We’re irreverent, and ironically, credible in delivering the brand promise.”
This led to the idea of a villain, the Germperor, trying to “germinate”—that is, use germs for world domination—and the only weapon against it is the Hygienix Shower Rangers, a band of four superheroes each representing a quality of the product: Refreshing Scent, Non-Drying, Germ-Killing and Value for Money.
Rather than playing down the urgency of fighting germs, the visual and auditory adrenaline-packed portrayal captures the imagination and attention not only of children but of their mothers and primary care givers.
“We hope to capture the attention of modern, busy moms and young adults alike, and a lot of them grew up watching and looking up to TV superheroes. We thought this creative execution is something that will help us stand out,” Jacobe says.
The two-minute video shared online expanded the audience reach of the ad material. “We were able to target a wider audience, specially those who don’t regularly watch TV and spend more time online (thus missed out seeing our TVC),” Jacobe explained. “The video on https://www.facebook.com/hygienixph/ showed a more complete and fun story, which engaged a lot of people to share it on their pages, and in turn, increased ad viewership.”
With Publicis Jimenez Basic as the creative agency and Arena Media as media agency, the campaign is proof that a good combination of creative work and putting the message out there through media will result in message delivery covering all bases to target moms through TV and online.
According to Jacobe: “Based on comments received on the Hygienix Facebook Page, the videos were effective in convincing consumers to try the product, and or for those who tried the product, liked it and made it a regular part of their grocery list. It sparked online conversations among our target market.”
Another important and significant part of the campaign is the PR component, wherein Germdugo and the Hygienix Shower Rangers battle it out in the real world. Germdugo invaded several influencers’ and bloggers’ homes and Shower Rangers came to the rescue. Personalities and moms like Bettina Carlos, Kelly Misa and Frances Amper-Sales definitely approved! The PR campaign was produced by Havas PR Manila.
Follow the adventure of the Hygienix Shower Rangers on: https://www.instagram.com/hygienix_ph/ and https://twitter.com/hygienix_ph
