Aliens attempt to manipulate mankind into continuing their hot water laundry habits. The heat trapping gases caused by wasted energy from hot washing will tear through the atmosphere, allowing the aliens to break through in UFOs and invade.
The campaign features the aliens’ comically obvious attempts at manipulation via video broadcast (social media posts and livestreams) and radio spots. Their stilted, uncanny delivery paints them as blatant liars. It’s clear to the viewer: they do not come in peace. T.A.R.A. (Tide Alien Resistance Agency), a parody government organization, serves as the voice of reason, exposing alien propaganda and reminding viewers that Tide cleans just as effectively in cold water. They urge viewers to join Tide's initiative: stop the invasion and save Earth one laundry load at a time.
Intended Results: Convert 75% of laundry loads to cold by 2030.
Target Audience: Gen Z (Tide’s least reached generation); people who are washing hot.
Why It Works: Flips technical laundry humdrum on its head with absurdity. Similar to the “It’s a Tide Ad” Super Bowl ad, it draws the viewer in by initially appearing far out from a laundry detergent ad.
Assets Created: Print ads, OOH, web banners, social media, guerrilla concepting, commercial storyboards, radio copy.
Process & Contribution
Tide and the campaign brief were provided. Everything else — concept, copy, all digital assets (including prompted AI imagery), mockups, and guerrilla concepting — was created by me.
Print Ads
Radio Ad
ALIEN 1: “Greetings humans, we come in peace. Washing laundry with hot water is good for thee Earth, continue washing hotly forcertain civilization ascendecy.”
*Small click*
ALIEN 1: (Quieter) “After thee stupid humans destroy the atmosphere with heat emissions, we will descend our glorious fleet of ships, kyill them all, and rule Eaarth”
*Both aliens maniacally laughing*
ALIEN 2: “Uhhhh, Florb… thee transmission is still on”
ALIEN 1: “Oh blip, mother is not going to be happy with me”
*Click*
*Long static*
ENERGETIC, OLD-TIMEY SPOKESMAN: “This is a message from the Tide Alien Resistance Agency.”
GENERAL TITUS LAUDHART: Hello Americans, we have detected an alien plot to manipulate the public into washing laundry hot, releasing emissions, compromising the O-zone layer, and leaving Earth susceptible to invasion. Don’t trust aliens. Do your part, wash cold.
ENERGETIC, OLD-TIMEY SPOKESMAN: Resist invasion! Turn the dial! Wash cold!
Instagram Ads
Out-of-Home: Bus Stop Ad
Guerilla Ad:
Aliens On Campus
Hired actors dressed as aliens walk around college campuses handing out free Tide products. Each alien has a T.A.R.A. (Tide Alien Resistance Agency) soldier partner accompanying them – also paid actors.
The aliens and soldiers banter in front of the students while handing out the products: aliens make funny, feeble attempts to convince students to wash with hot water, but soldiers make it abundantly clear that they’re lying, and that washing with hot water is bad for the environment (and will poke holes in the atmosphere so that the aliens’ fleet of UFO’s can invade).
