OMO uses an experiment to show Australians why it's just more fun to play in the mud.
The Real Play Experiment aims to show the benefits of letting kids play freely and get messy by showing exactly what happens when you don't.
Centred around a four-minute YouTube video, the experiment films parents watching their kids at a weekend football match, where a referee begins to penalise kids for getting dirty. As the parents gets increasingly frustrated, the children are eventually encouraged to “real play”: getting dirty and having a vibrant football match.
Unilever Laundry and Homecare marketing director Paul Connell said: “With research showing that real play activities are in decline, it’s a natural fit for Omo to champion the cause and spread the ‘dirt is good’ message.
“We believe all parents want the best for their children and are open to making positive changes that contribute to their development. However, what gets in the way of embracing real play activities more frequently are societal pressures and restrictions around what being a ‘perfect parent’ looks like.”
The campaign will be digitally based and supported by a partnership with Unruly and Positivity Institutes Dr Suzy Green, and a six-month tie-up with women's lifestyle website Mamamia. The latter will include a range of native content and social posts.
J Walter Thompson Sydney executive creative director Simon Langley says: “For too long we have been wrapping our kids in cotton wool. We felt it was time to ignite the conversation and get people talking about the benefits of letting kids play freely. Social media is the natural forum to do this.”
