1. Tide Coldwater
How to Take the “Low” Out of Low Engagement
Denine Harper, Sr. Strategy Manager
WHITTMANHART Interactive

2. The Tide Coldwater Challenge
Outstanding Website,
Web Marketing Assoc.
Awards 2005
and
Webby Worthy Award
2005
www.tidecoldwater.com
Slide 2

3. The Challenge
• How do you boost engagement in a
low-involvement product category like
laundry detergent?
Slide 3

4. The Challenge
• P&G faced this problem when they
launched Tide Coldwater so they built
energy and buzz by encouraging
influencers to tell their friends and sample
the product.
• Discover how using a tell-a-friend strategy
ultimately resulted in a million prime
prospects opting into the program.
Slide 4

5. How It Works
• Provided product education and awareness
via 3 site entry points
• Issued users the “challenge”
to wash in cold water with
Tide Coldwater
• Visually showed their personal impact on
spreading the word
• Integrated sample opportunity to compel
engagement and pass along
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6. How It Works
The Map
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7. Updated as each user is How it Works
mapped (blue dots) –
overall total
Starting
Point
T&T (changed
later to Seattle)
Degrees away
User and user’s from starting point
connections in (here ASE, on
Orange personal map –
the user)
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8. How it Works
Completed
map – orange
dots are
connected to
user
Slide 8

9. How It Works
Users associate Tide
Coldwater with an
Viral Reach individual benefit of
saving money and energy
Leverages the success of
the map and extends it to
the energy saving
message specifically.
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10. The Results
Viral impact….
• There was over a million and a half in the Tide Coldwater
network, of which, 44% were referred by friends.
• Referral was significantly above average, with an
average of 3.7 friends referred from each referrer.
• 11% of the friends referred came back to the site and
took the challenge and (6.7%) of the sample orders
came from refer a friend.
Slide 10

11. The Results
• The site yielded record responses. Increased traffic
by 904% in the first week.
• Media coverage generated 5 times the average
P&G launch.
• Over 1MM consumers opted into the program
• Over 1MM samples were given away.
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12. The Results
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13. What They Are Saying
“A few months ago, I switched from warm water wash
to cold water wash using Tide Coldwater. The first
month, my gas bill went down by close to 60%. I
thought it might have been a fluke, so I continued to
monitor it. Since them, it continues to be 60% lower
than it used to be when I washed with warm water. If I
didn't see it with my own eyes, I never would have
believed the difference.”
hellibeany, 08/03/05 at 8:10 am
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14. What They Are Saying
“I have used one bottle of the Tide Coldwater liquid
and was very pleased with the results...I see the same
clean and whiteness as with the regular formulas tide.
In fact I was quite impressed with the whiteness of the
clothing. I use Tide exclusively anyway and always
shop for it where it is on sale. Almost every week it is
on sale somewhere....Target, Food Lion,
Walgreen ....etc....I buy ahead and never pay full price
for it. So, if you are aware and plan ahead, it really isn't
more expensive than say ALL or some other product.
There is a difference, don't kid yourself....Tide is the
standard that all others compare themselves to and
copy ....there will be more coldwater detergents
soon......”
Jackie2457, 03/19/05 at 12:17 pm
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15. The Challenge – Phase 2
• How do you continue momentum of a
successful product launch?
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16. How It Works – Phase 2
• Focus on lowering energy costs – a
national concern at the time
• Users are driven online via
a sweepstakes to win their
energy bills paid for 1 year
and a year’s supply of
Tide Coldwater
• The home page billboard cycles through
“shocking statistics” that begin with global
implications and hone in on individual
impact
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17. How It Works Home page statistics
add “shock value”
when it comes to
energy consumption
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18. How It Works
• Users “calculate”
their savings on the
calculator and are
plotted on the map
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19. How It Works
• The map page
“markers” each
individual’s savings
on the map then
tallies by state and
country
Equates individual savings with
a “shocking” amount of energy
expended for something
recognizable
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20. How It Works
• States that “save the most” are posted to a
leader board showing the standings serving as a
viral platform
• Users are “shocked” by the impact their savings
have for themselves and for the country by
equivocating their state’s savings with a
“shocking” statistic
Slide 20

21. Thank You!
Denine Harper
Sr. Strategy Manager
WHITTMANHART Interactive
Slide 21