There is immense potential for creativity in everyday moments. Or so believes Procter & Gamble’s Chief Brand Officer Marc Pritchard. At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the marketing leader shared insights on how brands can make a significant impact on consumers’ daily lives by focusing on the moments that matter.
Power Of Everyday Moments
“Our brands, such as Pampers, Tide, Ariel, Cascade and Head & Shoulders, are integral parts of daily life. While they may not be the first things that come to mind when thinking about creativity, they offer immense opportunities because everyday moments are rich with creative potential,” comments Pritchard, adding, “Consider this - the average person experiences over 26,000 days in a lifetime, translating to about two billion seconds. With more than seven billion people worldwide, that’s a tremendous number of moments to consider.”
There is a myriad of struggles people face with daily-use products and how these open up avenues for creative problem-solving. For instance, 50 per cent of parents wake up in the middle of the night to change their babies’ diapers, less than half are satisfied with their laundry detergent’s stain removal, and only 20 per cent of dishwashing loads are perfectly clean. These challenges present exponential possibilities for creativity in product development and marketing.
Three Actions For Creative Success
Pritchard has a three-pronged advice to his ‘everyday’ theory. Find everyday moments that matter being on top of the list. He urged marketers and creative professionals to step out from behind their computers and spend time with the people their brands serve. Observing actual behaviours and experiences in real-life settings, such as the joy of fresh laundry or the satisfaction of a smooth shave, helps in identifying moments that truly matter to consumers.
His second piece of advice is to understand how a brand matters and the importance of understanding how a brand helps in those significant moments. Brands should define how they provide tangible, superior performance benefits, like the irresistible softness of freshly washed clothes or the superior cleaning of a trusted detergent.
Finally, finding the magic in creative brand ideas is essential to make everyday moments matter more and also the third element of the ‘everyday’ theory. Campaigns that combine logic and emotion create a lasting connection with consumers.
Cultural Moments & Localisation
Citing campaigns that tap into cultural moments, such as Ariel’s ‘Share the Load’ in India, which challenges traditional gender roles in household chores, Pritchard also discussed localised campaigns like the Head & Shoulders initiative in Europe and the humorous ‘Other Games’ content-first initiative with Kevin Hart’s entertainment company Hartbeat for the Paris Olympic Games. These initiatives demonstrate how creativity can be found in everyday challenges and turn them into opportunities for brand growth and consumer engagement.
As the industry stands at the cusp of the next technological leap, Pritchard stated that sustained growth will only be possible by harnessing new technologies to deliver superior innovation and creativity. This involves focusing on serving people with better offerings that delight them and provide more value in their daily lives.
By focusing on how brands can matter in those moments and creating powerful brand ideas, companies can drive growth and create value for both brands and consumers. The message was clear: everyday moments are where creativity can truly shine, making a significant impact on people’s lives.
