Plenty and AMV BBDO acknowledge the mundane but important secret to a lifelong happy marriage
Paper towel brand is funding wedding of couples who vow to clean.
“I vow to pluck grass from the bum of your cat, who hates me.”
Nothing says “I do” like a pledge to live with your spouse not only in sickness and in health but also in cleanliness and in mess. That’s what U.K. kitchen roll brand Plenty hopes lovers will do, as it encourages couples to include cleaning in their vows for the chance to win a free wedding ceremony.
The pledge encompasses a part of marriage that couples ultimately have to navigate. So why not address it from the get-go?
“Vow to Clean” includes a teaser video, and social media posts that imagine a Plenty paper towel as a wedding vow paper. “I vow to scoop hair gunk from the plughole, even when I’m bald,” one reads. The campaign is led by AMV BBDO.
The video is a classic wedding montage, with vows being read off-screen by a variety of voices. In it, a person pledges, “From this day forward, your vomit chunks are my vomit chunks,” in a humorous way, bringing to the table an extreme situation that may or may not happen in the future. It sounds kind of crass, but hey, sincerity above all.
“By bringing this unique insight to life through a fun, engaging creative, we want to start a campaign to encourage the nation to clean for each other, so their love stays stronger, and Plenty is thought of as an ally in positive cleaning behaviors,” said Leanne McLeod, U.K. brand manager at Essity, the parent company of Plenty.
The work, which includes print ads, is a continuation of Plenty’s alignment with messes in a domestic environment since the launch of the “Love Is Messy” campaign in 2020.
According to a survey conducted by Plenty, over 60% of British people would rather have a clean kitchen than a bunch of flowers. About 80% say their partner cleaning up messes around the house is more important than a romantic display with rose petals and candles.
“Vow to Clean” aims to establish Plenty as a valuable resource in relationships nationwide.
“By reframing functional cleaning as an indispensable act of love, we’re challenging traditional notions of romance and celebrating the everyday moments that strengthen relationships in a memorable way, at people’s wedding vows,” said Andre Sallowicz, creative partner at AMV BBDO.
As part of the contest, three fortunate couples will be selected to win the ultimate prize. The wedding ceremony is scheduled to happen in London on a weekday in March. While a celebrant will conduct the service, it will not be legally binding, according to the terms and conditions of the promotion.