Mullen Lintas has created the first-ever ad for the category ‘vegetable wash;’ hinged on DIY solutions for Matico’s Veggie Clean.
Marico’s latest ad is the theme for its product, Veggie Clean. Marico says that Veggie Clean is soap-free, chlorine-free, and alcohol-free, with no harmful preservatives in it. Mullen Lintas’ ad was conceptualized, shot, and produced in lockdown (COVID-induced).
CMO of Marico, Koshy George said “with an increase in awareness of health and hygiene practices and products, we observed the need for a fruit and vegetable cleaner on the market that led to the launch of Veggie Clean. Through this campaign with MullenLintas, we aim to show our consumers the benefits of using a vegetable cleanser as well as ‘the right way’ to clean the fresh produce.”
George says the ad is aimed at showing that proxy methods of cleaning such as rinsing it with water or using salt, vinegar, or lemon are not just enough and that effective solutions such as Veggie Clean need to be used to rid the surface chemicals and germs created.
“The film is highlighting a sweet and new-age relationship between a loving father and his millennial daughter, thus creating a deeper connection with our audiences,” he says.
Azazel Haque, CCO at Mullen Lintas, states that there is a ‘new normal’ due to COVID, which has given rise to a hyper-cautious consumer who thinks everything has to be washed and cleaned up.
“The trend these days is cleaning the vegetables before using at home with all kinds of things, including detergent, salt, savlon, etc. You turn to these alternatives when you’re hyper-cautious and don’t have a product that can wash veggies,’ he says. Haque adds that consumers are more conscious of hygiene and immunity than ever before-creating a new category of vegetable cleaners.
Haque explains that the lockdown started in March and the product was developed in May. “That is the brief from Marico that came to us – it had to be insightful because we’re creating an ad for a new genre; it’s got to be informative and progressive.”
Haque says it is deliberate that the protagonist is a chef who is closely connected to food, and that his daughter is the one who gives advice. He adds that regardless of what research has shown, the purpose a father was depicted in the ad is that men cooked more frequently in lockdown as they had more time on their hands.
As the virus spreads by contact people will certainly bring two and two together. We feel even post-COVID this conversation will be relevant. So we might rely on the fertilizers, or dirt, on veggies in the future.
