Unilever’s ‘Dirt Is Good’ Proves History Favours Those Who Get Dirty

Dirt Is Good, one of Unilever’s biggest Power Brands, continues to inspire the next generation to go outside, get dirty and do what it takes to win through a new campaign entitled ‘Guess Who Won’. The new campaign highlights that stains achieved whilst playing sport should be celebrated as a mark of resilience, determination, and triumph.

In this new campaign from LOLA MullenLowe ’, iconic sporting moments in cricket, football, and tennis are re-created to demonstrate a common denominator in all of the winners: they all got dirtier than their opponents. From the tennis final where an up-and-coming star won her first Grand Slam by defeating the greatest female tennis player in history, the 1996 Intercontinental Cup final that pitted two powerhouse teams from Europe and America against each other for the first time plus the final day of the 2007 Ashes cricket series, the first whitewash (5-0) in over 80 years alongside the last international match of one of the greatest cricket players in history.

As part of the campaign, the out-of-home (OOH) advertisements were shown in the UK (Persil), Brazil (OMO) and India (Surf Excel) near schools, recreational parks and youth sports clubs specifically positioned to catch the attention of young people and inspire the next generation of potential sports stars

Tati Lindenberg, vice-president of marketing for Dirt Is Good, said, “From muddy football kits to clay-stained tennis outfits, each moment serves as a reminder of the power of getting dirty in the pursuit of greatness. Sport is an incredible arena to see human potential and personal growth unleashed, which is why we want to shine a light on these iconic sporting moments.”

“Dirt Is Good turns 20 this year, and our new communication platform Play On is an evolution of how we want to continue to encourage people to go out and get stuck in, embracing all the grime as well as the glory.”

“It's great to celebrate it with this series of images inspired by important moments in sports history that prove the more you get dirty, the more chances you have to win. This campaign is another example of how Dirt Is Good and LOLA MullenLowe have continued to update and refresh the bold and counterintuitive idea that transcends the laundry category, with bold content and partnerships that ensure the idea remains as culturally relevant now as it was two decades ago.” said Tomás Ostiglia, executive creative director at LOLA MullenLowe.