Everyone knows Kleenex. But the brand was in danger of becoming wallpaper, relying on traditional advertising showing people using tissues.

Our brief was to reframe the brand, to build emotional meaning by transcending the purely functional.

Research shows most of us know we need tissues, but we often don’t have them to hand, so we reach for what’s nearby. We’ve all done it, sneezed into our sleeves, wiped snot on our trousers, blown our nose into our hands and instantly regretted it. 

‘Save the Sleeve’ is a film that uses the simple power of one little girl not wiping the snot from her nose, to make a whole country realise they need a Kleenex tissue.

There are only two shots in 30 seconds.

We see a young girl watching cartoons, snot glistening under her nostrils.

Every parent watching wants to reach in and wipe it off.

In one continuous shot...nothing changes.

The girl is transfixed.

The tension builds, until she slowly reaches up, and wipes her snotty nose along her pyjama sleeve.

We cut to a wide shot as the girl keeps watching, oblivious to the hygienic crime she’s committed.

In a busy digital landscape, the film stands out by letting nothing happen for longer than the viewer is comfortable with. 

We show the need for a tissue, without showing a tissue at all.

Reframing the brand as more relevant to modern UK life is also reflected in more diverse casting. The film relies completely on one person - six-year old Aaleahya, who brings an authenticity you rarely see from someone so young. The best accolade for Aaleahya’s natural performance is that every parent watching wants to wipe the snot off her face.

‘The campaign became a movement, to save the sleeve, your trousers, scarf, hair, or whatever else people might be inclined to use to wipe their nose.’ – Zoe Antonov, Europe Reporter, LBB

The ‘Save the Sleeve’ film and campaign proved that there is power in simplicity. 
 
Results exceeded every objective: 

•            31% increase in Kleenex tissue sales  

•            9.2% increase in average customer spend  

•            Beat social video views benchmarks by 218% 

•            Beat impressions target by 67% 

Selected media reaction: 

•            Campaign: ‘Exposes the bad habit of using anything other than tissues.’  

•            The Drum: ‘Addresses one of the last taboos left in socially respectable company.’ 

•            LBB: ‘Brands love to talk about ‘human’ moments but very few of them would be keen on

showing us a little girl’s snot running down her face.’ 

•            David Reviews: ‘There might only be two shots in this commercial, but there's a whole lot going on.’