With declining market share and penetration Vanish needed to move the needle on penetration by +100 basis points and +0.2% frequency to hit their market share and sales targets. This required a shift in perception from a strain remover to a total garment care and protection brand with equity in Vanish's core proposition, 'making clothes live longer'. Our approach needed to be differentiated from the category, distinctive to the Vanish brand and relevant to the mass-mainstream UK audience.

For World Autism Acceptance Week, we elevated the gender gap in autism diagnoses with a campaign devised to broaden public understanding. Nurturing a conversation to celebrate autistic girls and their clothes stories, break down myths and normalise life around autistic young people.

‘Me, My Autism & I’ shattered the misconception that autism primarily impacts boys by platforming many different autistic female voices across the campaign. While de-stigmatising autism at every step through positive portrayals of talents, as well as honest insights into daily struggles. To help all autistic girls feel seen, heard and supported.

Our evocative docudrama film told Ash’s story and the visceral importance of her hoodie. This was joined by other stories across an exhibition, social campaign, and online hub (with articles written by the community). Vanish donated 25p per pack in ASDA stores to support Ambitious about Autism's in improving the pathways to diagnosis for all.

To make our proposition relevant and engaging, we needed to encourage people to wear their clothes for longer. We identified an emotive truth about our relationship with clothing: we wear favourite garments over and over again.

This is true for everyone, but particularly autistic people: 92% of autistic people have sensory sensitivity, 73% use familiar items of clothing to help regulate their senses and navigate the world. For this community, making clothes live longer really matters.

We wanted to broaden public understanding of autism, empower the community and ensure brand relevance.

Girls are three times less likely to receive an autism diagnosis than boys. We conducted surveys amongst Ambitious about Autism’s network of young autistic people and their families (+2,000 responses), they told us the misconception that autism is a boy’s condition is a factor. We therefore shaped our campaign to celebrate and support girls.

We platformed autistic voices across film, real world activation, social campaigns, and an online hub.

Director Tom Hooper created a beautifully cinematic yet accessible hero film telling Ash’s story and the visceral importance of her hoodie. From casting a magnetic lead alongside her real family to directing a gripping score.

Our exhibition at the gallery@oxo shared intimate and powerful stories that explored how familiar and consistent clothing can help autistic girls thrive.

In partnership with Channel 4’s 4Studio our empowering digital film celebrated stories about how significant items in autistic people’s lives helped them realise their best selves.

The campaign hub housed opinion pieces from autistic youth covering topics like the LGBTQ+ and POC autistic experience. As well as the gender gap within diagnosis, autism within education and advice for families.

And the sharing continued, across social platforming clothes stories from Ambitious about Autism’s Youth Network and autistic influencers.

We were overwhelmed by the positive response:

In total, we have secured 66x pieces of coverage and a reach of 3.8b

+60 million impressions on Twitter of 'Vanish' and 'autism' of which 88% were positive

Viral on TikTok with video receiving +3.6 million views

+500 followers on Ambitious about Autism Instagram

+190% in new visitors on Ambitious about Autism's website since launch

+2,000% increase in engagement on Vanish landing page (vs previous period based on average daily visit numbers).

Hero film results:

82% gave the ad a 5 or 4 star rating.

79% feel more informed about the lived experience of autism since watching our ad.

53% say they will do more research into how Vanish is supporting this cause after watching the ad.

(Channel 4 Mirror On The Industry Report: 4Youth network)