Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Tide's Clean Start program

Here's an idea that just feels good today, on the anniversary of the Katrina hurricane. Tide laundry detergent and Second Harvest set up a free mobile laundry station, for people who were displaced in a natural disaster.

Now this program seems cool to me on a number of levels:
1. It pairs a nonprofit group with a consumer brand
2. It provides a public service to a little-thought-about constituency (who thinks about clean clothes in natural disasters? No one--until day 3 and we all stink!)
3. It shows Tide to be a brand that cares about you, as well as your clothes
4. It's a tangible vehicle that drives around with your marketing/branding on it. It drives around the country. How much cooler than that can you get?
5. It gives you as a user a way to tell your story (complete the virtuous circle) on the Web site.
6. It has a video component and I am soooo wanting to do video lately for some reason.
7. Okay, I admit it. I work in the creative department and I love the way this site feels, with the handwritten polaroids and the personal testimonials. It really gave me an emotional link to...laundry detergent.

Now here's my take-away for you, oh my librarian friends: if they can make me this excited about laundry detergent, JUST THINK what goodwill, shows of affection, *emotion* there could be around libraries!! I tell you what, it could be huge. More tomorrow. We had a great WorldCat.org meeting today. I am all fired up for libraries.

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