Tide: Maintaining Market Share

Problem: Tide needed a cost-efficient way to maintain market share during a price increase.

Solution: The brand’s 50th anniversary provided the ideal platform for creating consumer excitement in the face of the price increase.

In partnership with the Ontario Science Centre, a popular March break destination for families, the company’s internal PR team, led by Janice Mandel developed an interactive exhibit called “The Science of Laundry”. It featured kid-friendly activities, humorous commercials from the brand’s long history, retro packaging etc. It was launched at a media and retailer event along with a search for “The Dirtiest Kid in Canada”. Video footage featuring the exhibit, the contest, the brand’s history and short interviews with official Tide archivist and laundry science expert were made available to media.

The campaign generated over 50 million media impressions and the contest gave retailers a compelling reason to feature Tide in-store. Promotional tools and rewards for the best displays further incented retailer support.

Results: The brand was able to maintain its volume and market share following the price increase. The company’s general manager for fabric care recognized and gave the 50th anniversary PR campaign the credit and introduced public relations as a regular element of brand marketing going forward.