Kleenex x Mr Doodle: Making Media Accessible Art

The Challenge

Younger consumers weren't buying as many tissues as Kleenex would like. Research uncovered the reason: younger consumers didn't like the aesthetic and illness connotations of having a tissue box visible in their home.

The Strategy

A partnership with UK artist and social media phenomenon Mr Doodle created a limited-edition box designed to become a piece of art in homes across the country, repositioning Kleenex as a lifestyle product for a younger audience.

Execution and Innovation

The media strategy used Mr Doodle's artistic approach as its inspiration: an immersive live doodling launch event at Outernet London, bespoke artworks in cities across the UK, an episodic behind-the-scenes video series on social media, and retail media using real purchase data to target consumers with a history of trialling new products.

Results

Household penetration up. Sales up. Brand favourability among younger consumers was up, demonstrating how NPD, talent partnership, and media strategy can perfectly dovetail to deliver great results.

Judge's Verdict

"Successfully transformed a functional, low-interest product into something with artistic energy, social relevance, and genuine desirability."

"A strong, culturally relevant partnership with a British artist, an excellent example of using robust data and smart collaboration to thread product innovation throughout the media mix."