Could This Dishwasher Detergent Ad Be More Brilliantly On Point with Everyday Life?

RB is set to embark on a category redefining mission with leading dishwasher detergent brand Finish this spring, with the launch of a new marketing campaign. Premiering with a 40” TV spot, ‘Dishes’, on 6th April, the brand repositioning campaign aims to shake up the household detergent category by focusing on the central role of dishes in people’s lives.

In a market dominated by product promotion and functional messaging, Finish is seeking to communicate to the public through the more meaningful language of real life in all its glory. The new campaign seeks to re‐engage consumers with dishwashing and learn to love their dishwasher by using Finish.

The film views life, and dirty dishes, through Finish’s dish obsessed lens, aiming to open viewers’ eyes to the dishes they’re surrounded by every day, especially the surprising dishes people don't notice, but Finish does. There's almost no activity in life that doesn't generate a dirty dish, but Finish has got it covered.

Beginning with simple, obvious scenarios, as the narrative unfolds, viewers are taken on a journey from the mundane to the unexpected, all the way from an egg breakfast to existence itself. In each scene, dishes appear to float magically in formation, positioned just as they would be when stacked inside a dishwasher.

The campaign is the first to be developed by advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy London since being awarded the Finish account by RB in 2014. 

The ‘Dishes’ film is supported by a product centric ‘Glasses’ spot, which promotes Finish’s Shine & Protect innovation, which helps protect glasses from corrosion. Focusing on a single glass, the film brings to life the diverse experiences its protagonist goes through in everyday life. The viewer's focus is held on the glass, which remains centred on the screen from scene to scene. 

Both films were produced through Riff Raff with award winning directing collective Megaforce. Megaforce have established a strong reputation in the music video and TV commercial industries with their signature style, and lend a cinematic and hyperreal touch to the campaign.

The new brand campaign aims to establish a new point of view for Finish, forming part of an integrated campaign.

"It's always a great strategic and creative challenge to turn around a category, but we believe we managed to find a unique, dish obsessed voice for Finish and a human truth to unveil: as long as people are on the earth, there will be lots of dirty dishes to deal with. And usually a few more than you expected!" say Carlos Alija and Laura Sampedro, Creative Directors at Wieden+Kennedy London.

“With this new campaign we are looking to create a more emotional connection between the consumer and dishwashing by demonstrating the simple human truth that life creates dirty dishes. It is a big departure for Finish and the category, but is firmly based in our understanding of consumers and how they perceive the dishwasher, which sits in the kitchen and is taken for granted. We wanted to shake up that perception and remind users of the important role that dishwashing plays every day” says Helen Powell, Finish Marketing Director. “Finish has consistently innovated to move the category forward and drive growth, and this is consistent in this new campaign.”