P&G India Champions The Art Of Purpose-driven Experiences

Ariel's #ShareTheLoad and Whisper's #KeepGirlsInSchool leverage experiential tactics to forge deeper consumer connections and drive social change

In a world where traditional advertising is often at the forefront, Procter & Gamble (P&G) India is taking an approach to engage consumers and drive social change through immersive and experiential marketing campaigns.

P&G India's two leading brands - Ariel India and Whisper have embraced this approach, leveraging experiential marketing to drive conversations around important social issues.

As Mukta Maheshwari, Chief Marketing Officer, P&G India; and Vice President, Fabric Care, P&G India told Everything Experiential, “For the brand to meaningfully connect with consumers, experiential marketing definitely plays a role.”

Multifaceted Experiential Approach

One notable example is Ariel's #ShareTheLoad campaign, which aims to challenge gender norms and encourage men to share household responsibilities equally. The recent campaign launch featured a panel discussion with Bollywood actors Anil Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor, along with industry leaders like Maheshwari herself and Josy Paul, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer at BBDO India.

"We're integrating more and more endorsers to tell the brand story. You find the right set of audiences who have the ability to reach a set of consumers, which the brand needs to reach. Then you definitely enroll them," Maheshwari notes. "

Beyond star power, the brand has hosted immersive events where partners can experience firsthand the challenges of balancing professional and domestic responsibilities, fostering empathy and driving home the importance of shared duties.

Another event of P&G India is its 5th annual #WeSeeEqual Equality and Inclusion Summit 2024. It brought together advocates and personalities to discuss topics like family, mental wellbeing and equality, aiming to inspire employees for positive change. Themed ‘Unique and United’, the summit stressed the importance of embracing diversity for better outcomes. It emphasised creating an inclusive environment where diverse voices unite to drive innovation and collaboration.

Experience The Difference

Another example is Whisper's #KeepGirlsInSchool campaign since 2020 which tackles the stigma surrounding menstruation and aims to educate girls and mothers about period education. The brand has been conducting school and community programs to educate girls and mothers about the science behind menstruation and provide free sanitary pads.

Maheshwari highlights Whisper's school and community programs, stating, “We do not just educate young girls on period education, but also sample products so they can experience what a world of a difference using a product like this makes.”

Whisper, another P&G India brand with its #KeepGirlsInSchool campaign, aimed at addressing period education and breaking taboos surrounding menstrual cycles. 

P&G India is breaking through the clutter and forging deeper emotional connections by allowing consumers to directly experience the benefits of their products, with their target audiences.

As Maheshwari emphasises, experiential marketing is a strategic imperative for P&G's brands. "Again, it depends on the brand objective and the target. Also, it needs to fit and make sense."

Through these experiential marketing initiatives, Ariel India and Whisper have positioned themselves as brands that not only deliver quality products but also champion important social causes

Reema Bhaduri

BW Reporters The author is the Editorial Lead at BW Businessworld. Majorly writes on marketing, advertising, experiential marketing and retail. She closely looks upon the vertical of BW Marketing World and BW Retail World.