Although the Listerine ‘Advanced White’ product is aimed at younger women in the 25-40 grouping, across Europe, the appeal of this campaign was far broader and deliberately so.
We wanted to remind people about the power of a smile. We wanted them to realise it is something they often take for granted and don’t exercise yet it has tremendous health and mental benefits for both givers and receivers. And it’s free to use. What better way to demonstrate this than working with people who can’t see smiles. If the campaign organically reached beyond Europe – all the better.
Creative Execution
The campaign started with TV across EMEA, focused on the power of a smile, within the context of teeth whitening. This was supported with digital banners and website content providing ‘smile facts’ – explaining the distance your smile can been seen from and the impact it has on others.
Once the messaging platform was established the ‘Feel Every Smile’ film was launched on YouTube and the app was simultaneously available for download. It was designed and built with help from the RNIB. The film beautifully unveils the moving story of how several blind people recall the memory of a smile (if they were once sighted) or use other ways, like voice, to gauge if someone is smiling. The emotion is palpable when, by using the app, all the participants can actually ‘feel’ the smile of a loved one.
Facebook provided further access to the film, supported with PR and influencers.
KPIs were smashed: video view targets were over-reached by 150% seizing over 3.4 millions views on YouTube and Facebook to date. Video sharing and app downloads (4.6k and rising) have achieved spread beyond the bullseye of Europe reaching as far as Brazil.
Media coverage spanned consumer and trade press with the often cynical trade media being very pleasantly surprised by the genuine value provided through this initiative: “Brand apps usually aren’t worth a download, but Listerine’s Smile Detector actually has a heartwarming purpose.”
Video bloggers amplified the messages but the most satisfying and up-lifting outcomes have been the quality of the responses from the public, especially from those within the blind community or related.
“It was the best feeling ever seeing my blind 7 year old smiling when he realized that his brother with Aspergers which doesn’t show emotion in his voice was smiling at him, it was amazing and very emotional …..”
We wanted to find a way to make people reappraise a simple gift that we all possess but often forget to use – despite positive benefits to mood: smiling. An impactful way to do this was to work and film with a community for whom the loss of the ability to see a smile was an everyday fact.
By creating an app that used facial recognition technology and phone vibration each time somebody smiled the users were able to literally feel every smile directed their way. We worked closely with the RNIB to ensure the app provided the required level of accessibility.