Nothing spreads faster on a college campus than news about a swank par-tay or a hot rumor that someone's mom is hanging out in the laundry room, washing duds for free. These
guerrilla tactics proved highly effective when Procter & Gamble introduced Downy Wrinkle Releaser (DWR) to university students last year.
P&G's challenge wasn't simply to introduce a new staple to the laundry room but also to create an entirely new consumer habit. Convincing students that a spray-on wrinkle
buster eliminates the need for ironing would require live demos on campus. Another challenge, of course, was getting busy students to stop and pay attention.
Inside Edge
P&G determined early on that DWR would garner more interest on campus if its product's benefits were touted not only by outsiders but also by student evangelists. Working
with Manning Selvage & Lee (MS&L), P&G mined market research data from MRI and Simmons for insights into the habits of college students - primarily to determine whom
their evangelists might be. A series of focus groups identified common traits among students described as "early adopters," leaders who: (1) enjoy a broad and active social
network; (2) seek out information they can share with others; and (3) value personal appearance. Not surprisingly, this same group proved to be heavily connected via email and the
Internet. They were dubbed "instant messengers."
MS&L partnered with Student Advantage, a college marketing company, to obtain permissions from targeted colleges and to hire "instant messengers" on each campus to act as
the arms and legs of the campaign. According to MS&L, these student representatives were able to reach other "instant messengers" on a peer-to-peer level with a message that
"spoke to them."
The PR team sent DWR kits to 142 "early adopters." Each included a letter, press materials, promo items, a product sample, demo video and a wrinkled T-shirt to encourage the
recipient to try the product immediately. (The T-shirt bore a double entendre and was an instant hit. The front read: "Use me." The back said, "Tug me, smooth me, hang me out to
dry," a reiteration of the product's usage instructions.) An enclosed product feedback card asked each recipient to name a friend to receive a DWR sample. Incentive: a charity
donation would be made if the card was returned. The starter kit mailing laid the groundwork for a series of "Wrinkle Free Laundry Week" events, held on 24 college campuses during
fall semester 2000.
A Wrinkle in Time
Of those who received influencer kits by mail, 5% returned reply cards. These students -- many of whom were later hired as official "instant messengers" to work on the
campaign -- played a key role in promoting "Wrinkle Free Laundry Week" on their respective campuses. With their help, laundry rooms, computer labs, dorm bulletin boards, student
unions and bus stops were blanketed with magnets, posters, door hangers and flyers during the two weeks leading up to each event. These same students kicked off informal viral
marketing plugs via email to friends.
As each five-day "Wrinkle Free Laundry Week" program unfolded (events were staggered throughout the semester on different campuses), mom-like demonstrators set up shop in 66
dorms and 83 campus laundry facilities nationwide, offering tips on laundry care, product demos and free use of laundry machines. Their presence on campuses (including University
of Kentucky, University of Maryland and University of Miami) was largely discovered via word-of-mouth. News coverage and announcements in student newspapers, TV and radio stations
also bolstered awareness.
More than 100,000 college students participated in "Wrinkle Free Laundry Week." More than 41,000 chatted with on-site "moms" about clothing care and 31,420 (77%) participated
in DWR product demonstrations. Of those, 75% favorably responded to the product. More than 15,000 students tried DWR in the presence of a demonstrator.
As word-of-mouth spread (proving that "instant messengers" were working) students actually lined up outside laundry rooms to wait for DWR demonstrators to arrive. Of those
students who took advantage of free laundry services during the event, 50% cited posters, flyers, magnets or email as the reason they knew about the campaign. Thousands more
mobbed demonstrators for the limited edition "Use Me" T-shirts. One in 10 students visited laundry rooms during the promo and returned with a friend.
SVP and Managing Director Keith Hughes of MS&L's consumer practice in New York notes that "using word-of-mouth was probably the most important element of our
communication."
Campaign Stats
Time frame: Fall 2000
Agencies: Manning Selvage & Lee, NY (PR and event marketing), MediaVest
Research (focus group research), Student Advantage (a college marketing company)
Key Players at P&G: Keith Riddiford, brand manager; Kristin Schmidt,
assistant brand manager; Kelly Anchrum, director of PR for home and fabric care
division; Monica Collins, PR manager.
Budget: Undisclosed but MS&L qualified it as a campaign that paid
for itself.
Post-Campaign:On Campus Survey Results indicate a 23% higher likelihood
of buying DWR.
On Campus Product Awareness stands at 61% versus a national average
of 20%.
Media Analysis Campaign Web site garnered more than 700,000 hits during
the campaign, with traffic spikes routinely recorded on Sunday through Thursday
when product demos occurred in campus laundry rooms.
Contacts: Manning Selvage & Lee: Keith Hughes; Deirdre Dapice, 212/213-7077