Tide’s effort to benefit their community includes their newest program loads of hope. Tide representatives travel in their mobile laundromat to cities affected by natural disasters around the country. These disasters include anything from floods to fires to hurricanes. Tide representatives wash, dry, and fold families’ clothes for free. There are two ways people can help in this effort. The first is by purchasing a Tide vintage t-shirt where all profits go toward helping families affected by these disasters. The second is by purchasing a bottle of Tide with the yellow cap, but only ten cents go to support the cause. This is their most recent advertisement:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpZqJx7odL8

This campaign fits directly into our discussions of cause advertising and social responsibility, and also to our discussion of appealing to consumers’ values. As we assume that the majority of people are concerned with saving money, I believe that most people value making a difference especially through small efforts. I also believe that enough of America has been affected by some sort of disaster that they can relate to this message. Everyone can sympathize with what the women says about not having the most basic essentials.

If you visit the website, the call to action involving these vintage t-shirts is for America to purchase 1000 loads of vintage t-shirts in 100 days. As of now, only 5% of that goal has been achieved and I think that is in large part due to the lack of publicity. I have seen the Tide commercials that have the alternative ending with asking consumers to purchase Tide with the yellow caps. But even in the commercial above, I feel as if there was some mention of the goal for the 1000 loads that would instill some sense of urgency in people.

What is also great about this cause advertising is that it directly relates to a benefit of the product. So many times we see products slap a pink ribbon on their packaging that really has no correlation to their purpose. Tide has taken a common cause of disaster relief, and showed the direct benefits of their product.