- Elaine Wong, Brandweek

NEW YORK In this sluggish economy, Procter & Gamble has rolled out a new ad campaign for its Swiffer brand that aims to instill consumer confidence in the household-care sector.

The marketing effort kicks off today and includes three TV spots and a larger online media buy that emphasizes Swiffer's value over traditional cleaning tools. The tagline: "Cleans better than a mop and bucket or your money back."

The 30-second spots direct consumers to Swiffer's Web site, Swiffer.com, for a $5 discount offer.

This is the first time P&G has offered a money-back guarantee on Swiffer, according to Pete Carter, advertising development director for the Swiffer brand. "About six months ago, we started seeing a looming recession out there and we knew that our potential consumers were going to be concerned about the value of their dollar and what they were purchasing," he said. "The money-back guarantee makes it a no-lose proposition."

The ads assert that Swiffer is worth the money by humorously comparing it to other cleaning methods. One spot, titled "Flower Man," shows a woman happily cleaning the floor with her Swiffer WetJet until she is interrupted by a man at the door. The visitor announces,  I have a delivery here from a Mr. Mop," while a disheveled mop peeks from behind a tree. The woman is not interested and slams the door. Voiceover: "Once you switch to Swiffer WetJet, you'll never go back to your old mop, again." The commercial concludes with a side-by-side comparison of Swiffer to a mop.

Kaplan Thaler, New York, handles.

In another spot, "Grocery Store," a store clerk tries to convince a female customer of the benefits of Swiffer. Just then, a straw broom and mop appear, knocking over all the potatoes in one aisle. The customer ignores the ruckus and opts for the Swiffer starter kit.

Spending for the new campaign was not disclosed, though Carter said the ad budget for the Swiffer brand is on par with previous years. Swiffer spent $192 million on advertising last year (excluding online), per Nielsen Monitor-Plus, and $50 million through April of this year.