David Seidler
Jul 27, 2011

Vanish NapiSan bids for the White House

SYDNEY - Historic handshakes, nation-stopping statements - and now, big billboards? Could the seat of US Government be set to go commercial? Australian cleaning brand NapiSan, spruiking an unlikely deal for the White House, certainly hopes so.

Vanish NapiSan bids for the White House

Offering US$25 million for a five-year sponsorship deal, the Reckitt Benckiser-owned brand says it is looking to gain exclusive naming rights to the home of the first family. In a unique campaign that's certainly getting its share of earned media, it hopes to promote the newest product in its fabric cleaning range, Vanish NapiSan Oxi Action Crystal White.

The brand has sent letters to US president Barack Obama and all members of Congress. “We’re Australian, so we’ll get straight to the point”, the communications begin. Spokesperson Adam Whitaker says, "We know this has never been done before… but that’s exactly how visionary ideas begin.”

The campaign, executed by Euro RSCG Sydney and its public relations arm, Red Agency, aims to see the brand’s logo on signage outside the building. James Wright. general manager of Red Agency, says they have also taken on a local lobbying partner, Grayling.

While the campaign is clearly a stunt, Wright would not be drawn on the goals of the campaign. “Some see it (a sponsorship deal for the White House) as fascinatingly innovative, others are less enthusiastic,” he said, but maintained that part of the campaign was provoking debate. He suggested the deal may help the US out of its present financial difficulties. 

“With the current economic issues in the US. we believe this provides us with the best possible chance to secure the deal as the US government looks for innovative ways to raise funds,” he said. “The $25 million is a negotiating tool. We want to have a discussion.”

The US currently has US$14.3 trillion worth of public debt.

 

 

 

Source:
Campaign Asia

Related Articles

Just Published

54 minutes ago

The power—and problem—of ‘girl words’ in 2025

Brands need to understand that women can feel alienated due to the ‘broligarchy’ and the corresponding rise in hate speech.

1 hour ago

Women to Watch 2024: Lydia Adlina, Starcom

Always on the lookout for emerging platforms and trends, Adlina has been instrumental in keeping Gov@Publicis relevant by embracing unchartered frontiers, driving growth, and reaching new audiences.

11 hours ago

‘Digital twins are not the enemy’—H&M's AI ...

Following the news that fashion retailer H&M will use AI to create digital 'twins' of 30 models, we explore if it's a good idea, and what it might mean for creative campaigns.

12 hours ago

Elon Musk’s xAI acquires X for $33 billion

The acquisition marks a further alignment of the two companies, holding a combined value of $113 billion.