This Soap Brand Wants to Help Consumers Carve Out Moments of Calm When Cleaning

It’s one of the more mundane paradoxes of the pandemic: There’s a distinct feeling that we don’t have a moment to spare. That’s despite not going to offices, restaurants or gyms. Any traveling or visiting of loved ones has tended to occur in isolated episodes compared to the “before time.” Although the brand was conceived of before the pandemic, Dally's launch during the Covid-19 pandemic was fortuitous and well-timed, allowing it to tap into growing consumer interest in handwashing. The husband and wife team behind the product started shipping the product in January, calling it a “slow lifestyle” soap brand. Marketing through tranquil social media images Dally’s soap collection is already making the leap from direct-to-consumer to national store shelves and online shops like Showfields, Verishop and Design Milk. The marketing is supported by tranquil social media images on platforms like Instagram, where it can be purchased directly. While handwashing remains essential to prevent Covid-19, Dally is looking to grow its brand by encouraging consumers to slow down and meditate instead of simply killing a terrifying virus. The name refers to carefree lingering (“dilly-dallying”) and acts as a play on “daily” acts of cleaning during lockdown. Dally's lighthearted, spa-day-in-a-soap dispenser concept is reflected in its trio of products that conjure relaxation: Barefoot in the Grass, Rolling Wave After Rolling Wave After Rolling Wave and Naps in the Grove. Dally also emphasizes its all-natural ingredients without any artificial coloring, scents, toxins or parabens (i.e., chemical preservatives). Dally’s co-founders, Kevin and Elizabeth Egan, bonded over solving brand design issues Originally, Dally’s cofounders, Kevin and Elizabeth Egan, were newlywed professionals enjoying New York City's frenetic pace. He was an associate creative director at Saatchi New York working with clients such as Tide, Mr. Clean, Luvs, Olay and Head & Shoulders. She was (and remains) director of marketing for search solutions platform Yext. [Full disclosure, the author oversaw a media property published by Yext from 2013-2018.] “Since we met because of our skills, we always brainstormed starting a company together,” said Elizabeth. “We ultimately settled on answering the question of ‘How do we capture a slower-paced lifestyle?’ We wanted to bottle up that feeling you get when you go on vacation and time passes differently.” Soap as a design object From the start, the couple knew they wanted to focus on a product with universal appeal and which would solve a clear design problem. They weren’t interested in exploring new territory or working on anything too niche. A handwash had the elements the Egans were looking for. “Handwashing is something you do multiple times a day,” Elizabeth said. “It's actually like a little bit of a break in your day. A soap dispenser is an object that sits on your sink on display—it's actually a design object. But people don’t usually consider that design aspect in their purchasing decision. We think they should.” What differentiates Dally? Since the dawn of modern marketing, soap’s simple utilitarian value has made it a natural brand builder. Ivory soap was one of the first products created by the consumer packaged goods giant Procter & Gamble in the late 1800s. Ever since, soap continues to prove itself as a remarkably stable product through which brands can define themselves. Several examples of soap’s distinctive character come to mind across the competitive landscape Dally has entered. “Dally is a design-forward brand that celebrates a slower lifestyle,” said Kevin Egan, the brand's co-founder and creative director. There’s the pharmacy mainstay Method, which positions itself as affordable and sustainable. Elsewhere, Aesop has aligned its offerings as vintage luxury with shops styled as old-time apothecaries. Dr. Bonner’s doesn’t just sell natural cleanliness—it sells new age meaning. Lastly, Mrs. Meyers emphasizes four main scents that reflect organic values associated with herbs and fruits. “Dally is a design-forward brand that celebrates a slower lifestyle,” said Kevin. “When we took a real hard look at the category, we asked, ‘What do all these brands stand for? What are they saying about themselves and their customers?’” Dally allows the Egans, who are raising their one-year-old son as well, to explore ways of “communicating the understanding of time,” said Kevin, who also serves as Dally’s creative director. “We wanted to create a design that would capture your eye, and then, be the brand that would remind you and invite you to slow down,” Elizabeth added. The message was as much for themselves as it is for others. Soap dispensers and mood signifiers Getting the word out also relies on its three product-inspired Spotify playlists. As Kevin noted, Dally is about having soap that helps set the day's mood with a message of mindfulness instead of mindless handwashing. Dally is currently available in three scented "moods." “Think of yourself as you're making your way up to the sink,” Kevin said, imagining the way a Dally consumer interacts with the brand. “Already, you're starting to have more complex thoughts running through your head because of the scents, because of the design that is captured on all four sides of this bottle, as opposed to the typical round-shaped dispenser.” Your toothpaste, floss, deodorant, for example, are likely tucked away in a cabinet and out of sight. Compared to other CPG items and toiletries, soap is also always on display in the home, he points out. It’s a fixture that defines the look of the sink and its surroundings. By thinking of its CPG marketing in that vein, Dally differentiates itself in the narrow soap category. The irony of such a rapid rise for a new brand—Vogue magazine has already named Dally a top hand wash for 2021 and GQ just featured the soap set as a Mother’s Day gift recommendation—is not lost on the Egans. “We think of ourselves as so much more than soap,” Kevin said. “We're looking long-term, and we do see an opportunity to introduce so many more interesting products that might share the same ethos and design purposes. Of course, we’re not in a rush.” Our Covid-19 Obsession With Cleanliness Is Here to Stay, Survey Finds