Q&A: Clorox Promotes 'Stylish Disinfecting'

Clorox has added some pizzazz to its Disinfecting Wipes by packaging them in decorative canisters that are meant to look more like an accessory than a cleaning product. The canisters are now appearing in Macy's window displays in major metropolitan cities, including New York, Chicago and San Francisco. It's all part of the company's strategy to promote "stylish disinfecting." The new wipes collection, which sports floral and nature-themed designs, is being featured on Macy’s TV screens and samples are available at information booths inside the stores. Brandweek interviewed Lisa Partnoy, marketing manager for Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, who discussed how the brand is leveraging unconventional shopper marketing tactics to draw awareness to its new collection. Some excerpts are below:Brandweek: What exactly is this new product that you’re putting inside Macy’s windows?Lisa Partnoy: The basic idea of this new product was work we did with the consumer to really uncover an insight that consumers actually want to have their cleaning products within reach. We did a bunch of consumer research to figure out what would be okay to leave out and what would enable a consumer to say, ‘Yes, I’d be proud to leave that on my counter surface.’ That was the thinking behind the décor launch. It marries both form and function. We did research in terms of what were the latest styles in terms of home décor, to make sure we were coming out with designs that would fit in with consumers’ homes. And we also added improvements—it’s single sheet dispensing, one sheet at a time. It really kind of is the ultimate in convenience—it’s pretty enough to leave out on the counter and the wipes dispense very easily. BW: Why put them in Macy’s, though, especially as the collection isn’t sold through the retailer?LP: This is the first time Clorox has partnered with a department store to launch a product. Not only does it fit with Macy’s being about home décor and stylish trends, but it gives us the opportunity to showcase the product in a way that’s most relevant…That was the objective of the partnership with Macy’s, to make sure we were driving awareness behind the product.BW: You’re also building buzz through an online “design your own canister” contest. But are consumers, and retailer partners noticing? Is the mighty little wipe getting the attention it deserves in Macy’s store windows?LP: Retailers are actually doing the same thing in store, as we did with Macy’s. The Macy’s partnership was really about capturing this idea of style in an unexpected place. We’ve seen some retailers promoting the product in displays in the floral [department]. It’s really capturing the essence of that idea of displaying it in a place in the store that might otherwise be unexpected. BW: The collection’s designs are also a stark contrast to the usual, solid-colored Clorox Disinfecting Wipes packaging. Is that a shopper marketing tactic in itself?LP: In a sea of products, we’re happy to see that our customers are actually taking the product and showing it can actually break through in the store. We did extensive consumer research to make sure the designs we were creating would stand out on shelf as well as if they were displayed anywhere through the store.BW: What times of the year are most relevant to Clorox Disinfecting Wipes’ shopper marketing plans? Why so?LP: Much of our shopper marketing is focused on the back-to-school and cold and flu season. You will see a lot of our products featured in the store during those times, when germ killing is most relevant.

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Q&A: Clorox Promotes 'Stylish Disinfecting'

Elaine Wong

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Elaine Wong