3M laundry detergent ad shows 'graphic' violence done to clothes

Yves Huang (黃逸甫), CEO of ADK Taiwan, told Campaign Asia-Pacific that although 3M's laundry detergent (3M天然酵素洗衣精) is already on the market, the company wanted a stronger creative approach to show how using the product, with its neutral PH value, makes clothes and skin feel soft and clean.

He explained that many families do not know they use alkaline laundry detergents. “With long-term use, they will not only cause great damage to clothes, but also expose children to the risk of skin allergies," said Huang.

The TVC highlights the pure, neutral and natural features of 3M laundry detergent by showing how using alkaline detergent is “violent to clothes”.

The TVC begins with a mother doing the laundry using a regular detergent brand. She is startled by the clothes screaming for help and opens the washing machine to find the clothes decorated with cartoons of terrified faces. Once she changes to 3M detergent, the cartoons are changed to smiling faces.

"Laundry detergent TVCs are usually conventional, but we have used a strong and clear approach to convey the main concept of 'neutral'," said Huang.