Jennifer Hudson hallucinates Dawn Soap’s ducklings in new feather-ruffling spot
While tackling a mountain of dirty dishes in the commercial, Hudson, a busy and sleep-deprived mom, drifts into a wild daydream where she chats with animated Dawn ducklings.
Dawn’s beloved ducklings have officially entered the spotlight, joining a new campaign with Oscar-winning singer, actress and wildlife enthusiast Jennifer Hudson.
The lighthearted effort, led by M Booth, highlights the Procter & Gamble-owned brand’s dual mission of fighting grease and helping rescue vulnerable wildlife. For over 45 years, Dawn has been the go-to dish soap for wildlife experts, who rely on it to safely remove oil from bird feathers during rescue operations.
Hudson channels her love of nature and clean kitchens in this playful new TV spot. Viewers watch her FaceTime a friend to rave about the soap’s gentle yet powerful formula. Things take a comical turn when Hudson starts hallucinating two animated ducklings who cheekily call her “Jennifer Sud-son” before she snaps out of her daydream.
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“As a busy working mom, I trust Dawn because it’s important for my cleanup to be as fast and easy as possible,” said Hudson. “The Dawn ducklings sat by my sink for years, so I was very excited to welcome them into my home and support their wildlife-saving efforts.”
But this campaign is more than just laughs and sparkling dishes; it’s also a call to action for wildlife conservation. For a limited time, shoppers can visit www.dawnducks.com to download a $1 coupon off Dawn Platinum EZ-Squeeze. For every coupon used, Dawn will donate $1 to the International Bird Rescue, up to $100,000. The website went live this week.
Since 1971, the International Bird Rescue has responded to over 250 oil spills and cared for more than 160,000 birds across six continents. The rescue organization discovered that Dawn’s formula was the safest and most effective for cleaning oil from bird feathers, earning it the distinction as its trusted partner for over four decades.
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“Dawn is a literal lifesaver,” commented JD Bergeron, chief executive of International Bird Rescue. “A single drop of oil can be deadly to wild birds, which is why we rely on Dawn to get the job done and help save wildlife, like the iconic ducklings you see on the Dawn bottle.”
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“The ducklings have long been powerful symbols of Dawn’s status as the better grease-getter,” added Guerin McClure, senior vice-pesident, P&G North America Home Care. “We are excited to watch them spread their wings and share their story with a new generation.”
Thanks to this enduring partnership, Dawn has proudly showcased ducklings in its advertisements for over 40 years.
The campaign, which launched Tuesday, is part of a larger, integrated media plan that includes contributions from PG One, Saatchi & Saatchi, Grey, Chase Design Group, and M Booth. The plan focuses on OLV, OTT, TV, website, radio, digital, in-store, and PR efforts.
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