This campaign predates Covid-19 Global handwashing education efforts.

A simple experience that impacted 5mn lives and contributed 5% to Lifebuoy's global mission for the year! Over 60% Indians wash their hands only with water(and no soap)before eating and after using toilet(Source: INSS). This behavior spreads fatal diseases like cholera,diarrhea,pneumonia etc.

Changing 150million people’s unhygienic habits overnight is impossible. So, we created a social-hacking solution-a simple imprintable ink made of Lifebuoy's-formula that turns into antibacterial soap on coming in contact with water.

Our media? Their own hands! Readily available, absolutely free of charge! Results? 30%fewer infections than the festival’s previous edition!

Lifebuoy with its brand purpose is committed to finding ways to protect people from illnesses and improve health outcomes, one handwash at a time.

The Kumbh festival poses as the perfect opportunity for the brand to live up to its proposition. With 150 million pilgrims visiting a 60-day makeshift town with 4,200 tents, 660 mass food courts and 1.5 lakh portable toilets, fatal infections are highly likely to spread under such circumstances. In fact, there have been multiple cases of Cholera epidemics at the Kumbh in the past, a 2013 survey evidenced a peak in diarrheal diseases and upper respiratory tract infection symptoms just after the first bathing day (Source: IJID 2016).

When Lifebuoy approached us, they aimed to inculcate the practice of handwashing with soap, which leads to a more hygienic Kumbh this year.

Changing 150 million people’s poor hygiene habits overnight is impossible. So, we decided to create a social-hacking solution that takes advantage of what Indians have naturally done for millennia - washing hands with just water.

Hackwashing is the process of using a special imprintable ink made of Lifebuoy formula which turned into antibacterial soap and lathered when brought in contact with water, washing off all the germs. So just by imprinting people’s hand outside food courts and toilets, we ensured they also use germ killing soap when they rinse their hands with water.

A pivotal experience that people just could not ignore because the media was: their hands! It was also unavoidable since it was their direct entry ticket to food courts and portable toilets.

We picked the epicentres of the infections – the food courts and toilets – where the devotees are often oblivious to hygiene and integrated our solution seamlessly in a journey that is well ingrained in the Indian culture.

We replaced the token system (Entry ticket) outside these areas with our unique Hackwashing stamp. Our media? Their own hands! Readily available and absolutely free of charge! Before they entered food courts and lavatories, we imprinted their hands with a special wearable ink made of Lifebuoy formula. So, every time they washed their hands with just water, we ensured that they are also cleansing, their hands off germs, with antibacterial soap.

Simple, clever and successful implementation of hygiene and sanitation practices where negligence could cause widespread infections – outside food courts and toilets. No samples distributed; no print collateral wasted!

At the Kumbh Festival, all marketers were struggling to get the audiences’ attention, the obvious option was to publish print material, distribute pamphlets around health and hygiene. Instead, by just imprinting the pilgrim’s hands outside food courts and lavatories with a special wearable ink, we created a simple, cost-effective intervention that hacked the existing journey of devotees.

How could they ignore us? The stamp on their hands was their entry ticket to places they couldn’t avoid. This unusual channel had pilgrims take notice at the pivotal moment when handwashing with soap was critical. So, every time they washed their hands with just water, we ensured that they are also cleansing their hands with antibacterial soap. With this simple printable hack, we transformed an unsanitary habit into a life-saving action!

In just 60 days we impacted the lives of 5mn people ensuring a hygienic stay at Kumbh.

1.Hands washed with soap: As 5Mn devotees directly experienced germ-free hands, we indirectly made the festival safer for the other 145Mn.

2.Ensuring a hygienic Kumbh: 30% fewer infections than the Kumbh2013 edition (Source:HFWD, UP Govt). Dr. Mishra, Nodal Officer Sanitation at Kumbh said, “We appreciate the role played by Lifebuoy as Hygiene-Partner at Kumbh to spread the message of hygiene and sanitation.”

3.No.1 brand in the region: We encouraged real-time behavior change which reflected in sales with Lifebuoy being the No.1 brand with over 21%marketshare in the region.

4.Reinstated the brand purpose: We contributed 5% to lifebuoy's global mission for 2019, which further helped the brand to achieve its target for the decade (2011-20), one year ahead of time. (Source: USLP report 2010)

5.Overwhelming recognition and PR: We earned PR value worth USD 6.8Mn, with coverage in Contagious, Business-Standard, Adgully, Live Mint, LBB etc., helping us to reach additional 125Mn.