As a prominent brand under the Unilever consumer goods conglomerate, Comfort has consistently maintained its position as a "giant" in the fabric softener industry and earned the trust of thousands of Vietnamese consumers. Let's explore the highlights of Comfort's new product launch campaign, "Comfort Gentle – Softly Fragrant," together with UpBase!
Comfort - "The Giant" in the Fabric Softener Industry
In 1995, Unilever, a leading multinational company specializing in personal care, household care, and food products, began its business journey in Vietnam. Just four years later, they introduced a line of fabric softener products to the market, revolutionizing the daily laundry habits of Vietnamese women.
Since then, the concept of "fabric softener" has become more widely known, and Vietnamese women have become accustomed to using fabric softener for their clothes after washing, helping them to become not only softer but also pleasantly fragrant. Comfort fabric softener is widely available in grocery stores, local markets, and supermarkets, gradually becoming a trusted companion in every household. To date, Comfort has captured 55% of the market share and has become the leading fabric softener brand in Vietnam.
Over the past 20 years in the Vietnamese market, Comfort has continuously improved and developed a wide range of diverse and high-quality products to gain even higher favorability among consumers. Not only that, but the brand has also generated significant discussion and solidified its position in the media landscape with many impressive campaigns. Surely, many people still remember the Andy and Lili commercials set in the fabric city, or the Comfee family commercials that aired on every household's TV screens in the years 2007 and 2011.
And in November 2023, Comfort also drew attention when it officially announced its brand ambassador as "young idol" Pamela Hải Đường, a beloved child by the online community, the daughter of hot girl Salim. Before this news was announced, the little girl had been sent a gift from the brand called "The Sweetest Land" in November 2022. Last May, Pam Yêu Ơi made her debut in the commercial "Being a 'lazy mom' must be relaxed?" by Comfort alongside her mom Salim and dad Long. Through this period of exposure, little Pam has been "handpicked" by the brand due to her expressions and a series of memorable actions that have endeared her to netizens. Currently, the TVC has attracted nearly 9 million views on the YouTube platform.
The campaign introduces the new Comfort Gentle - Softly Fragrant.
Also in November 2023, Comfort launched a campaign to introduce its new product, Comfort Gentle - Softly Fragrant, with many impressive communication activities. This campaign helped the brand increase interaction with customers on both online and offline platforms, while also stimulating purchasing and boosting revenue on e-commerce platforms.
The Softly Fragrant fabric softener belongs to a line of fabric softeners designed for sensitive skin, targeting pregnant women, mothers, or homemakers in general who are concerned about using safe and gentle fabric softeners for their children's skin. Therefore, marketing communication activities for this product will also address the emotional and rational needs of this target group, such as the desire for nurturing, care, rejuvenation, etc. Some prominent USPs of this product include:
- Certified safe by the British Dermatology Institute and the Central Dermatology Institute
- Gentle fragrance designed to suit baby clothes
- Keeps clothes soft even after 20 washes
- Soft, pleasant scent reminiscent of peony flowers
- Double Gentle formula, added gentleness for the whole family's clothes
- Pure peony scent in the morning
- 100% plant-derived ingredients along with newly improved oat extract.
Phase 1 (28/11-28/12): Creating an AI filter to help women "transform" into babies.
Even as adults, everyone has a "baby" inside to listen to and care for. Have you ever wondered what your baby personality is like? Will you be a playful baby who loves to jump around, or a sweet baby who enjoys being pampered?
One of the easiest ways to go viral on social media these days is to create trends with AI filters. With curiosity to explore our personalities or a different version of ourselves, the online community is in a frenzy over AI filters that help us embody new roles or try out familiar yet unusual versions, such as experimenting with makeup styles or hairstyles.
No exception, Comfort Gentle also "borrows" AI, bringing all of us to "meet" our "baby" in the soft world through the AI trend "discover your inner baby personality."
Specifically, on November 28, 2023, Comfort Vietnam posted the program announcement "EXPLORE YOUR INNER BABY PERSONALITY WITH COMFORT GENTLE," with the following specific rules:
- HOW TO PARTICIPATE
Step 1: Leave a comment predicting your inner baby personality (e.g., "I think my personality is adorable") along with #ComfortGentle. Comfort will send you a private message, respond to the intelligent AI to receive your result.
Step 2: Post the image of the BABY personality result you received on your public profile with the hashtags #ComfortGentle #ComfortGentleSoftlyFragrant.
Step 3: Comment the link to your participation post and a screenshot of your involvement in the comments section of this announcement post.
- PRIZE - INCREDIBLY ATTRACTIVE UP TO 60 MILLION DONG
03 First Prizes: Each prize is 01 Panasonic washing machine worth 16,790,000 VND. Total value: 50,370,000 VND.
05 Second Prizes: 05 Comfort Soft Gift Boxes worth 3,000,000 VND each. Total value: 15,000,000 VND.
10 Lucky Prizes: 10 Comfort Gentle Fabric Softener Bags worth 200,000 VND each. Total value: 2,000,000 VND.
- PARTICIPATION PERIOD
The challenge will take place from November 28th, 2023, until 11:59 PM on December 28th, 2023. Posts made outside of this timeframe will not be considered valid.
The results will be announced on January 10th, 2024.
- RULES FOR SELECTING THE WINNER
- Criteria for judging the prize:
- First Prize and Second Prize: The prize will be judged based on the most impressive content of the post (60%) and the highest number of comments on the post (40%).
- Lucky Prizes: The organizers will randomly select 10 lucky participants via random.org to award the prizes.
- Prize Claim Requirements:
– Players must complete all steps in the rules of the program accurately and thoroughly to be considered valid..
– Players agree to allow their basic personal information (Name, address) and photos taken during participation to be used publicly, shared with the community in the event that the player wins a prize.
The brand also collaborates with KOLs/Influencers such as Đặng Thu Hà (Schannel), Hàn Hằng, and Trang Hý to use their images for AI filters and PR posts.
And the social media communications have been quite effective, capturing the interest in transformation trends among women and the desire for rejuvenation among mothers and homemakers. As of January 3rd, 2024, Comfort's program introduction post has received enthusiastic responses with 6.9k reactions and 10k comments.
PR post on Đặng Thu Hà's personal page received 3.5K reactions and 2K comments.
PR post on Hàn Hằng's personal page received 1.4K reactions.
PR post on Trang Hý's personal page received 1.6K reactions.
Phase 2 (28/12-30/12): Co-branding with Grab to launch the Grab for Mom combo.
Motherhood is a journey filled with challenges and difficulties for women. Understanding the obstacles of mobility and daily activities for pregnant women, as well as caring for small children, for the first time, the two brands Comfort Gentle & Grab have come together to introduce the Grab For Mom package. Specifically, the program includes perks for mothers to travel with peace of mind with "Caring GrabCar rides," various offers and special discounts when ordering GrabFood, GrabMart delivered to their doorstep, or when visiting the maternity hospital for regular check-ups.
As a trusted companion of Vietnamese families for many years, Comfort Gentle has always upheld the mission of caring for and nurturing babies, as well as providing added comfort for mothers. Therefore, for the first time collaborating with Grab for the Grab for Mom concept, the "gentle and caring" companionship of Comfort Gentle will make these rides dedicated to mothers more comfortable and soothing than ever before.
The official announcement event for the partnership between Grab and Comfort took place at Crescent Mall, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City from December 28th to December 30th, 2023. During the event, mothers and families could attend and learn more about the services offered in this Grab For Mom promotion package.
In addition to the "Grab for Mom" combo with "caring rides," Grab also offers special benefits for moms when ordering GrabFood, GrabMart delivered to their doorstep, as well as additional discount codes for mothers when visiting maternity hospitals for check-ups. Specifically, the program includes a rewards points exchange for mothers to enjoy quality benefits, including 10 GrabCar vouchers with a 30% discount up to 50,000 VND each when traveling to hospitals, pediatric clinics, obstetric examination centers - attached list; 10 GrabCar vouchers with a 15% discount up to 50,000 VND each; 05 GrabFood vouchers with a 10,000 VND discount for orders of at least 150,000 VND; and 01 GrabMart voucher with a shipping discount of up to 35,000 VND for orders of at least 180,000 VND for new users. On Comfort's side, the brand also prepares support pillows and Comfort teddy bears to accompany mothers on every journey.
Regarding this first exclusive collaboration, the representative of the Comfort Gentle brand, Ms. Quynh Nhu, shared: "As a leading brand in providing gentle care for children's clothing and families, this collaboration with Grab continues to affirm the efforts of Comfort Gentle in its role as a companion, continuously supporting and delivering the most comfortable experiences in daily life for all mothers."
On Grab's side, a representative of the super app stated: "Grab always focuses on providing the best service experience and additional value for users. We are delighted to have the companionship and support of brand partners like Comfort on this journey. With this collaboration with Comfort Gentle, we hope to bring even more enjoyable and caring experiences for users, especially women and children, on every ride."
Combining with a series of offers on e-commerce platforms
To successfully launch Comfort Gentle Soft - Delicately Fragrant, it's essential to introduce the product on e-commerce platforms with a series of enticing offers. All social media posts for this campaign are accompanied by a link to the product on Shopee.
Thus, when customers purchase the authentic Comfort Gentle Soft - Delicately Fragrant product on Shopee Mall, they will receive exclusive and attractive incentives:
- Shopee voucher for 10% discount
Buy 1 get 1 free
Free shipping for all orders
For orders worth 349,000 VND, receive a complimentary Sunlight dishwashing liquid 370g + Comfort scented paper bag 9g
For purchases of 299,000 VND, receive 1 complimentary gift of your choice
Currently, the product has reached over 100,000 sales on Shopee in just over a month, and it is expected to further surge in orders during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday season when participating in the platform's joint campaigns.
Lessons Learned from the Comfort Gentle Softness Campaign
Understanding the Target Customers
As a product in the fabric softener industry, a household consumer goods, targeting pregnant women, mothers, and homemakers in general, Comfort has captured the needs and emotions of this customer group to devise effective marketing strategies and communication activities. The use of AI filters to transform into babies or to be cared for in the "caring ride" satisfies the needs for nurturing, love, and appreciation of any woman. Understanding the target customers' needs is also the key to every communication campaign and business activity of the enterprise.
Increasing brand touchpoints.
In addition to simply promoting products through one-way advertising content and passively reaching the audience, brands also need to increase touchpoints with customers through various means to foster two-way interaction, increase engagement, and boost conversion rates, while also enhancing brand presence and coverage both online and offline. And the two key activities of this campaign have achieved that by generating excitement among customers to participate in interacting with the AI filter program and the collaborative event with Grab featuring the compassionate rides. Comfort Gentle has created creative and engaging touchpoints, catering to the needs and emotions of the target customer base, allowing customers to directly engage with the brand and its products to not only make purchases but also establish a long-term bond with the brand.
Smart Co-branding Strategy
This Co-branding activity not only demonstrates Comfort's care for its customers but also surprises and intrigues the public by the collaboration of two seemingly unrelated major brands to launch such a sensible product/service. Grab is also a prominent name that garners attention and active discussions on social media in the country. The brand is well-known for its all-in-one services on the mobile app. The Grab app supports users in booking rides and utilizing various e-commerce-related services such as food delivery or logistics. Grab also partners with a network of brands and e-commerce platforms to offer numerous attractive discount vouchers. Co-branding with Grab has helped Comfort increase its media coverage and enhance customer touchpoints by leveraging Grab's strengths to connect with customers and promote the brand in unexpected ways.
Utilizing the appeal of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), Influencers, and Key Opinion Consumers (KOCs)
According to a Nielsen study, 92% of consumers trust what Key Opinion Leaders say more than traditional advertisements.
Today, before making a purchase decision, consumers tend to seek opinions from family members or the people around them regarding the evaluation of that product. Specifically, up to 65% of consumers research products through Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) - individuals who have influence on social media. (according to MediaKix).
Especially for women who are already mothers or expectant mothers, aged 25-40, they mainly seek information on social media, refer to reviews from acquaintances within their network, and influencers they follow.
Comfort has collaborated with KOLs/KOCs/Influencers with large followings and high engagement rates to post PR content and support mass seeding. The brand has connected with Đặng Thu Hà, Hàn Hằng, and Trang Hý to introduce the AI filter, while also partnering with numerous hot moms on TikTok and Facebook to seed the product and promote the "caring ride" program on both platforms.
As a result, information and images about Comfort's brand, products, and new programs or events have been spread more vigorously, attracting the right target audience and contributing to both branding activities and online and offline sales figures.
The role of social media in e-commerce
Social media has been, is, and will continue to be a powerful tool for brands, retailers, and e-commerce platforms to achieve sustainable growth.
Social media is not only a communication tool but also a place where people work and exchange goods and services.
Thanks to its large daily user base, social media is the fertile ground that e-commerce businesses, sellers, and brands can exploit to optimize revenue.
Social media plays a prominent role, influencing the growth of the entire e-commerce industry in Vietnam. With a significant conversion rate, social media and e-commerce have an inseparable relationship in promoting brands and products, building customer experience journeys, increasing touchpoints, and driving conversion rates.
The e-commerce industry is continuously expanding, with numerous brands and products being introduced to various platforms every day. Therefore, in order not to be left behind or become dull in the e-commerce arena, businesses need to adopt suitable social media communication strategies to promote their brands, drive sales, and increase revenue. The launch campaign of Comfort Gentle Soft - Sweetly Fragrant is a clear testament to that.
