Unilever has launched a new innovation in response to evolving laundry needs and the changing technology in consumers’ homes.
Under its Dirt Is Good brand (known as Persil, OMO and Skip), the company has used robotics and AI to develop Wonder Wash, a laundry detergent specifically designed to perform well even in a 15-minute cycle.
Unilever noted that the growth in the popularity of malodour-retaining athleisurewear, compounded by hybrid-working patterns adopted since the pandemic, has also led to a shift in the type of laundry consumers are doing. A change in habits, such as a reduction in daily commutes, has meant that while clothing still picks up invisible grease and grime, the majority (70%) of the clothing people wash now contains no visible stains. Instead, it is soiled with invisible sweat, dust and odour-causing body oils. As a result, over two-thirds (78%) of washing machine owners were found to be choosing a cycle that lasts less than 30 minutes at least once a week. Unilever noted that this, coupled with the rise of washing machines with cycle settings as short as 15 minutes, had created a new consumer need – an effective product that can perform even in the shortest cycles.
The company stated that it has completely ‘rebuilt’ a laundry detergent to address the new consumer needs, including the desire to save on energy costs. Wonder Wash has been designed to outperform leading detergent brands in cycles as short as 15 minutes, while still being suitable for longer cycles. Testing shows that through the product’s “revolutionary” Pro-S technology, it performs better than the competition against the four biggest paint points of short cycle users: malodour removal, absence of residues, freshness and fabric care.
While regular liquid detergents aren’t designed for best performance in short cycles and can leave sticky residues, Unilever has developed a blend of fast-acting ingredients, which activate as soon as the cycle begins. With 35 patents pending, the innovation is expected to create a new category of laundry products.
Eduardo Campanella, Business Group President, Unilever Home Care, said: “Until now, laundry detergents have not kept pace with changing consumer behaviours. By harnessing people’s enthusiasm for short cycles for everyday stains, we’re opening up the potential for a new category of short cycle products within laundry. This breakthrough in fast-acting cleaning will come to consumers around the world under Dirt Is Good, one of Unilever’s 30 Power Brands – where we’re really focusing our investment and bringing through bigger and better innovations.
“As part of Unilever Home Care’s Clean Future Strategy, not only is this about delivering an unmissably superior laundry experience, but reducing environmental impact by encouraging the use of shorter, energy-saving cycles. Using over a century in detergent-development, we’ve overcome a real technical challenge to offer outstanding performance even in the shortest timeframe and the difficult washing conditions of the short cycle.”
Wonder Wash will launch in the UK, Ireland and China this month across all major retailers before expanding to other markets, including France, later this year.
NAM Implications:
- A clear appeal to the savvy, cash-conscious consumer…
- …with a reminder that ‘because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there’.
- And Unilever experience (and 35 patents pending… ) will ensure that Wonder Wash will deliver more than it says on the tin, within a 15-minute window…
- A genuine category disrupter, along with the innovator’s advantage.
- Rivals, please note…
