Don't Sweat the Sweat

How do you convince parents—especially sports moms—that a new product truly eliminates deep-set sweat stink…
the kind that haunts carpools?

The insight wasn’t from desk research. It hit me in the face—literally.

At P&G HQ, I smelled the worst-smelling football uniform of all time. That scent? No, please. That moment? The strategy.

Parents weren’t just dealing with sweaty kids. They were dealing with judgment from other moms. One missed odor, and your car becomes a shame chamber.

We launched a campaign to reassure moms that Downy Rinse & Refresh gets the funk out in one wash. No sweat.

We met sports moms where they were: the NFL FLAG Regional Championships.

We partnered with MAS, who built the Odor Defense Zone, an immersive activation with four interactive touchpoints:

• Lockers of Truth: Compare untreated gear to Downy-washed gear. Sniff test, passed.

• Odor Showdown: Live demos with Downy Sci-Comm star Sammy Wang.

• Inflatable Tackle Run: Kids tackled odors—literally.

• Photo Finish: A touchdown moment, camera-ready.

The client and NFL loved it so much, they expanded the partnership.

Next came Mother Nose Best—a hilarious spot with NFL player Josh Sweat and his real-life mom Carlette becoming the faces (and noses) of the product, starring in a TVC where Mom’s dramatic sniff was the true MVP.

Social and digital content followed. Moms across football, ballet, and beyond joined in, turning their own stinky stories into content.

Downy isn’t just in the wash cycle. It’s in the culture.

The Impact?

A client asking, “What’s next?”