This campaign predates Covid 19 Global handwashing education efforts.

A simple initiative that impacted 5Million lives; 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 the toilet(Source: INSS).This behaviour spreads fatal diseases like cholera, diarrhoea, pneumonia

Changing 150million people’s unhygienic habits overnight was impossible.Therefore,we created a social-hacking solution:a simple wearable ink made of Lifebuoy's-formula for everyone wanting to visit the lavatory and food courts.The ink-stamp turns into antibacterial soap on coming in contact with water.

Results?We achieved PR worth 6.8Mn,helping us reach an additional 125Mn people.

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 syndromic survey conducted during the 2013 Festival 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 before eating and after using the toilet, 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 wearable 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 stamping people’s hand outside food courts and toilets, we ensured they also use germ killing soap when they rinse their hands with water.

A clever intervention that people just could not ignore. Because it was right there, on their hands! It was unavoidable since it was their ticket to enter food courts and the 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 medium? Their own hands! A readily available medium, absolutely free of charge! Before they entered food courts and lavatories, we stamped 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.

Effective, quick and the most far reaching initiative that spread the message of hygiene and sanitation practices, where negligence could cause widespread infections – outside food courts and toilets. No samples distributed; no waste generated!

At the Kumbh Festival, all marketers were struggling to get the audiences’ attention, the obvious option was to put up stalls/play games around health and hygiene. Instead, by just stamping the pilgrim’s hands outside food courts and lavatories with a special wearable ink, we created a simple, cost-effective, yet inevitable 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 medium had pilgrims take notice at the pivotal moment when handwashing with soap was critical. So, across 60days, every time they washed their hands with just water, we ensured that they are also cleansing their hands with antibacterial soap. With this simple 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 Festival.

1.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.

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

3.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.”

4.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.

5.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)

Over 60%Indians wash their hands only with water and no soap before eating and after using the toilet. (Source: India National Sample Survey, 2020).

This social behavior causes diseases like cholera, diarrhea, pneumonia, etc. Now imagine practicing this unhygienic behavior during the world’s largest human gathering -The Kumbh festival, with 150million pilgrims visiting a 60-day makeshift town.

In fact, there have been multiple cases of Cholera epidemics at the Kumbh in the previous edition, a 2013 survey evidenced a peak in diarrheal diseases and upper respiratory tract infection symptoms just after the first bathing day (Source: IJID 2016).

This simple intervention led to 30% fewer infections than the previous edition of the Kumbh Festival (Source: HFWD, Government of UP). We encouraged real-time behavior change which also reflected in sales with Lifebuoy being the No.1 brand with over 21% market share in the region.