LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--When Procter & Gamble’s Febreze set out to find the Olympic sport with the biggest odour challenges, wrestling - with its sweaty grappling, arduous mat workouts, stinky equipment and locker rooms – became the clear choice. To prove that consumers in real-life stinky situations can breathe happy no matter what, Febreze teamed up with the official Azerbaijan National Wrestling team. Together they conducted an experiment to demonstrate that the brands’ superior odour elimination and freshness capabilities can defeat the hardest working odours in the world.
Many brands align themselves with National teams or athletes based on popularity. Febreze, a brand known for its unconventional marketing campaigns, chose to partner with a sport that faces tough odour challenges on a daily basis and a team that holds the sport of wrestling in the highest regard.
The Febreze campaign includes holistic and integrated support in advertising, retail, digital, social media, and public relations channels. It is part of P&G’s Worldwide Partnership with the International Olympic Committee, which is anchored by the ‘Thank You, Mum’ campaign for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The real athletes of the Azerbaijani National Wrestling team will be featured in Febreze’s first global marketing campaign in support of the Olympics and will demonstrate that if Febreze can declare victory over Olympic-sized wrestling odours, it can defeat any odours in the home.
Kicking off with a robust digital campaign today, Facebook fans around the world will see a sneak peek of the Olympic campaign by meeting some of the world-class wrestlers who are part of the Azerbaijani National Wrestling team before the ad campaign airs. The campaign stars Haji, a Freestyle wrestler in the 74-84 kilo division, Jamal, a Freestyle wrestler in the 120 kilo division, Rafiq, a Greco-Roman wrestler in the 74-84 kilo division, Sharif, a Freestyle wrestler in the 74-84 kilo division, as well as a Febreze wielding towel boy. The campaign will take viewers on a journey to London where Febreze will conduct the biggest Breathe Happy experiment to date.
Azerbaijan, a country situated on the shore of the Caspian Sea, has a long history rooted in the sport of wrestling, and it is often considered the national sport of the country. Through a series of video vignettes, Facebook fans can follow the Azerbaijani National Wrestling team as they prepare for the Olympics and get to know these endearing wrestlers and their unique personalities as they train, eat, sauna - and battle tough odors - on their journey to the Olympic Games.
The sponsorship is part of P&G’s Worldwide Olympic Partner status with the London 2012 Olympic Games and marks the first time Febreze has partnered with an Olympic team. This follows the revolutionary Breathe Happy campaign, which proves to real people around the world that Febreze freshness can transform the air through extreme odor experiments. The new Olympic campaign will follow with large-scale, global experiments, using real athletes and the real odour cues that surround them.
“We are honored to partner with the Azerbaijani National Wrestling team and have these talented athletes star in the Febreze Olympic campaign,” said Gary Coombe, Global Vice President of Air Care and Western European Home Care brands. “By putting real people in the experiments, we’re putting our products to the test on the toughest odors in front of the entire world.”
For more information on the brands’ activities, visit www.febreze.com or like us at www.facebook.com/febrezeUK.
About Procter & Gamble (P&G) in the UK and Ireland
P&G touches and improves the lives of about 4.4 billion people around the world with its portfolio of trusted, quality brands. The Company's leadership brands include Pampers®, Ariel®, Always®, Pantene®, Fairy®, Pringles®, Lenor®, Iams®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun®, Ace®, Febreze®, and Ambi Pur®. With operations in about 80 countries, P&G brands are available in more than 180 countries worldwide. Please visit www.pg.com/en_uk for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.