• by Aaron Baar , April 5, 2016

Consider the humble paper towel. It’s often used to wipe up quick spills or serve as a substitute napkin. Kimberly Clark’s Viva brand, however, wants consumers to think about it as something more. 

The brand is launching an “Unleash Clean” marketing program this month that includes its first television commercial in a number of years, as well as PR, digital and shopper engagement. 

“If you think about the paper towel category, it’s been stagnant and staid for some time now,” Sean Nobui, senior brand manager for Viva, tells Marketing Daily. “We believe people need to think differently about how the paper towel category functions and how it will suit their needs.”

Timed to coincide with spring cleaning, the new television ad shows off Viva’s durability and potential in an unlikely spot: a subway station. The spot depicts a woman following instructions to lift a roll of paper towels off a podium for a surprise, triggering the “Viva Clean Squad” to come in and begin cleaning the station using only paper towels and Viva’s “Vantage” pads, which feature a scrubbing texture and cloth-like durability, Nobui says. 

“We’re going to be putting paper towels into a situation that you wouldn’t normally put a paper towel in,” he says. “You can use it for more than just small spills.”

The brand has also launched a microsite, unleashclean.com, which features an interactive experience to explore the diverse uses of Viva paper towels and products (such as cleaning a microwave or getting toothpaste off a bathroom sink), Nobui says. The brand is also working with The Boys & Girls Club of America’s thrift store in Ventura, California, helping clean used items to get them ready for sale, Nobui says. 

“We have a longstanding relationship [with The Boys & Girls Club] through Kimberly-Clark,” Nobui says. “This is an opportunity to prove the capabilities of our towels.”