Since its launch in 2015, Ariel’s Share The Load campaign has made waves in the ever-changing marketing landscape. It has won several awards, including over 10 awards at Cannes Lions, Grand Prix and Golds at Spikes Asia, and a blue elephant at Kyoorius Creative Awards.

Started as a TV-focused initiative, the campaign has transformed into a digital-focused movement that continues to resonate with global audiences. Let’s explore how this long-running campaign has evolved and stayed relevant in changing times.

IsLaundryOnlyAWomansJob? – 2015

Ariel launched #ShareTheLoad campaign in 2015, challenging the age-old belief that laundry is exclusively a woman’s responsibility. According to data provided by P&G, before 2015, 79% of men used to think that laundry was solely a woman’s job. This campaign was simply about asking this question. It sparked various conversations around gender equality at home and how women, regardless of their success, were still treated like second-class citizens in their own homes.

Ariel primarily utilised television advertisements to reach a wide audience. They launched an online petition as part of the initiative, urging people to pledge their support for equal chore distribution, and over 1,500,000 men took a pledge to #ShareTheLoad. Along with launching Ariel’s His and Her Packs, they took the initiative forward by collaborating with some of the biggest clothing brands and added “can be washed by both men and women” to the wash care label of their clothes.

Also Read: How Can Companies Bridge The Gender Gap In Indian Manufacturing?

Dads, Share The Load – 2016

In 2016, Ariel shifted its focus to the intergenerational transfer of gender biases with the “Dads, Share the Load” movement. The campaign highlighted the role of fathers in shaping their children’s perceptions of household chores, encouraging dads to set a positive example for the next generation. In a survey conducted by AC Nielsen, 2 out of 3 children believed that household chores are mum’s job, reflecting the gender dynamics of tasks related to housework they saw at home.

Ariel started to incorporate digital platforms and social media, leveraging the growing influence of online content. Ariel collaborated with celebrities like Neha Dhupia to share her own experiences with household chores. The campaign was a massive success on social media, and “Dads, #ShareTheLoad” gained global traction after Facebook’s then COO and equality activist Sheryl Sandberg shared it on her social media.

Sons, ShareTheLoad – 2019

The third edition launched in 2019 and urged mothers to teach their sons and daughters to share the load equally and encouraged young men to question traditional gender roles. Ariel collaborated with social media influencers, tapping into their broad reach and relatability to engage with younger audiences.

In his Instagram collaboration with Ariel, Rajkumar Rao shared the ad and urged mothers to become the flag bearers of change and teach songs to share the load. The campaign garnered 73M views nationally and reached approximately within 80% of TG. It also started around 45,000 conversations around the unequal divisions of home responsibilities and raising sons to share the burden equally.

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#ShareTheLoad – For Equal Sleep – 2020

Launched on The World Sleep Day in March 2020, this campaign highlighted the unfair division of household chores, resulting in less sleep for women. As per the annual track report by P&G, 71% women sleep less than their husbands because of unequal distribution of home chores.

They kicked off their marketing by partnering with the global superstar Ranveer Singh on Instagram. By only his post alone, the brand got over 3-4 million views. In March, many celebrities and influencers such as Asha Negi and Sanaya Irani also received #HamperOfEquality, further helping to promote the campaign. They also collaborated with Gibi, an American ASMR YouTuber to create #ShareTheLoad ASMR to help women let go of the mental load and sleep better.

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SeeEqual and ShareTheLoad – 2022

“SeeEqual #ShareTheLoad” was launched in 2022 and delved deeper into the issue of subconscious biases that contribute to gender inequality in the home. The film asked if men can share the load equally with other men, why not with their wives?

To appeal to the masses, Ariel used the loved celebrity couple Ritesh and Genelia to spread the message. Through a print ad in Times of India, they even encouraged the future grooms to pledge to share the load with their future spouses.

The campaign took over digital with their partnership with Disney+Hotstar and curated “See Equal” watchlist and #ShareTheLoad NFTs. They even launched limited edition ShareTheLoad packs along with many on-ground activations. Ariel also created an augmented reality (AR) filter on Instagram, allowing users to experience a virtual laundry room and encouraging them to share their experiences online.

See The Signs & ShareTheLoad – 2023

The 2023 edition of Share The Load, “See The Signs,” explored the connection between laundry and relationship issues, shedding light on how the unequal distribution of chores can negatively impact partnerships.

As per a survey, 74% of women have given up discussing chore-sharing with their partners and the film shows the consequences of that. This campaign featured a series of panel discussions and workshops with experts and influencers, fostering dialogue about gender equality and the role of men in creating balanced homes.

Also Read: Things You Didn’t Know About The Indian Middle Class

HomeTeams #ShareTheLoad – 2024

The latest edition of the campaign is about the “HomeTeams” in 2024, promoting the idea that a successful household is built on equal partnership and shared responsibilities. This iteration shows how women can never let go of the mental load of their household responsibilities even when they’re out of the house. It urges men to share the mental load with their partners, so they can let go of household responsibilities when trying to focus on other work.

Along with big celebrity collaborations, the brand clearly coloured outside its usual lines by also launching an app called Home Map – for men to locate household items in their home. In a series of humorous video collaborations with influencers like Atul Khatri, the videos leave men with the question if they really need this app. Not only these videos show the dependency men have but also challenged it through tech and humour.

Conclusion

Ariel’s #ShareTheLoad campaign has consistently pushed boundaries and sparked meaningful discussions around gender equality in the home. Not just messaging has evolved with the times, their marketing techniques have as well.

At Melt, we had a conversation with Mukta Maheshwari and Josy Paul. Mukta, CMO of P&G India & VP of Fabric Care at P&G Indian Subcontinent, and Josy, Chairman & CCO at BBDO India about this year’s edition to the #ShareTheLoad campaign and why they are still making new iterations.