Let’s talk about one of those rare moments when the marketing playbook is elegantly thrown out the window and boldness pays off.
Traditionally, marketers are told to “make the product the hero.” A classic. But the new spot by MullenLowe London for Unilever’s OMO detergent in Brazil turns that idea on its head. OMO, Brazil’s most beloved laundry detergent, takes on the role of the villain.
Yes, the villain. In the three-minute film, it’s not a competitor or a slip-up by the protagonist that creates conflict, it’s OMO itself. In its flawless efficiency, it removes the autograph of soccer star Vini Jr. from a young fan’s jersey. A mundane accident, transformed into a dramatic family saga. Because some stains carry more emotional value than actual dirt.
The commercial stars a father, his daughter, and Real Madrid’s Vini Jr., who signs the girl’s treasured team jersey. But disaster strikes: the shirt is accidentally washed with OMO and the autograph disappears along with the stains.
What follows is a heartfelt journey: the father crosses Rio de Janeiro by bus, by boat, with his heart in his hands, hoping to secure a new signature. And, as in every great emotional journey, there’s redemption: a reunion with Vini Jr., a new autograph, and this time, a selfie to lock in the memory. The campaign’s tagline sums it up: some stains carry too many memories to be removed with OMO, but for all the others, OMO is there.
OMO’s ad is not just a moving story, it also marks the launch of the “Treasure Hunt” campaign, which invites viewers to follow clues to locations where they can find jerseys with Vini Jr.’s autograph. This creates a strong link to social media and real-world events that extend the narrative. A cross channel story that sells laundry detergent. The extended format allows the creators to embed clues while also giving space to build emotion and explore the ups and downs of the story with more depth.
You can see the ad’s effectiveness through the “Trace” metric from the Test Your Ad platform, which tracks emotional shifts second by second. Sadness spikes during a 30-second stretch as the girl realizes she’s lost the autographed jersey, setting the stage for rising joy throughout the rest of the film as her father fights to recover it. This emotional roller coaster delivers the intensity and momentum needed to keep audiences engaged through a longer-than-usual commercial.
Beyond telling a great story, the ad is a brilliant example of how human connection enhances advertising effectiveness. OMO could’ve told the story simply from the father’s point of view as he seeks a new autograph. But by including the daughter throughout, the focus shifts to the bond between them, not just the plot. That makes the ad more impactful. Because “what happens between” the characters, the human connection, the interaction through gestures, looks, and dialogue, is a key element in building lasting campaign impact.
The ad earned an outstanding 4.8-Star score on the Test Your Ad platform—two full Stars above Brazil’s average of 2.7. Despite its longer duration, which often weakens emotional impact and positive feeling, the ad also achieved an “Exceptional” Spike Rating, System1’s short-term effectiveness metric. That means it’s predicted to drive strong sales uplift and deliver long-term brand impact.
Finally, given that OMO’s cleaning power is the cause of the problem in the story, was there concern about positioning the brand as an “accidental villain”? The answer is a clear no. Even though the product only appears prominently at the start, 99% of viewers correctly identified OMO as the brand, earning an Exceptional Fluency score. What’s more, terms like “cleaning” and “deep clean” were among the top audience associations.
Positioning OMO as the cause of the drama could’ve been a creative risk, but the emotional story and clear message made that risk worth it.
In the end, this campaign reminds us that bold is good. Especially when it’s backed by a great story, solid data, and the courage to break the rules with style. Because making the product shine is easy. The real challenge? Making it shine as the villain, and still come out the hero in sales.
“To launch our new and improved OMO Lavagem Perfeita in Brazil, we collaborated with football icon Vini Jr. to create a story of a girl whose favourite signed jersey is mistakenly washed by her dad, erasing the autograph from her hero, Vini. That ‘clean’ moment becomes the catalyst for a heartfelt journey to meet the player again. It’s a powerful twist: the brand, typically the hero, unintentionally creates the tension – and the emotional arc. This is a story about trying and bouncing back from losses with the conviction to win again. It's about not stopping for the mess but embracing it as part of the journey. It's the essence of Dirt Is Good – or Se Sujar Faz Bem, as we say in Brazil.”
Tati Lindenberg
Dirt Is Good Chief Brand Officer and Marketing Senior Vice-President Unilever
“As the brand’s core product, the relaunch of OMO Lavagem Perfeita (Perfect Wash) was a major milestone for us. We wanted to go beyond showcasing the product’s superior performance and create an innovative campaign that genuinely connected with people—both on and off the screen. We achieved that by telling an emotional, everyday story, as seen in the film, where a father unknowingly washes his daughter’s jersey signed by Vini Jr., showing that some stains are worth keeping—but for all the others, the NEW OMO Lavagem Perfeita will take care of them. Building on that narrative, we also created an interactive ‘treasure hunt’ activation, giving people the chance to find jerseys signed by Vini Jr. himself. This initiative brings to life our brand positioning—‘Put your clothes to the test, because getting dirty is good’—and reflects our broader brand strategy: to deliver culturally relevant campaigns that invite the public to actively engage with our message and see themselves in the stories we tell.”
Vinicius Menezes
Marketing Manager at Unilever
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