The satirical newspaper The Onion ran a mock editorial from a fake Tide marketing executive touting the brand’s cool new viral video. Rather than get mad about it, the brand got in on the joke. We made the fictional video a reality complete with cute, funny talking animals, a cool indie-rock song, and other 'hilariously random' elements from the article. Only 48 hours after the article’s debut, we posted the video on Tide’s social channels and proved that a 65-year-old brand can thrive in a viral world.

A non-traditional execution demands a non-traditional media plan. Owned channels became the focus for the creative response, as paid media would simply not have delivered the reach, efficiency, or timeliness. The video was launched on Tide’s Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter channels. Live measurement of consumer engagement showed Twitter as the most successful channel for engagement with the video, so we shifted amplification efforts and outreach to make the most of the strategy.

Objective: Quickly respond to Onion article to show a brand like Tide is able to move quickly and roll with the punches. Expose brand efforts throughout industry and gain publicity for Tide

· 3M+ impressions from Digitas activations and press coverage

· 100% positive sentiment among related conversation

· Engagement and Agency praise from top publications, thought leaders and industry experts

· Articles covering the effort in AdAge, Mediaite, Brand Channel, and other publications

· Shiv Singh, PepsiCo Beverages global director of digital and Author of “Social Media Marketing for Dummies.” (24k Twitter followers)

· Augie Ray, Director of Social Media at Prudential (15k Twitter followers)

Sources: Facebook Insights, Twitter Analytics, YouTube Analytics, Devries PR, BrandMonitor