Dive Brief:
- Colgate-Palmolive launched an Amazon Alexa skill that reminds people to turn off the faucet while brushing their teeth, which can save up to four gallons of water per session, according to a press release. The brand cited a Google Survey conducted by Red Fuse Communications that found 42% of U.S. adults still don't shut off the tap.
- Users can open a dialog with their devices by saying, "Alexa, open Save Water by Colgate." The skill provides water conservation facts or tips to occupy tooth-brushing time, and even has the option to play the sound of running water for two minutes to replace the turned off tap. Two minutes is the dentist-recommended time needed to properly brush teeth.
- The "Save Water by Colgate" Alexa skill is a way for the brand to explore new channels to reach consumers with simple messaging that can still make an impact, particularly younger and more digitally-connected consumers, Lori Michelin, vice president of sustainability and environmental health and safety at Colgate-Palmolive, said in a statement.
Dive Insight:
"Save Water by Colgate" shows the brand promoting a socially-conscious, relevant message — in this case, around water conservation — via a novel communications channel. The Alexa skill is relatively simple but could make a tangible impact by reaching people directly in the home, while they're actually brushing their teeth.
More marketers are testing these types of capabilities as consumers continue to show favor toward connected devices like Amazon's Echo and Google's Home hardware — this holiday season could put them in a notable number of new households — and as voice search grows more sophisticated. While actual transactions done via digital assistants are still very early days, skills that answer FAQs, offer educational information or otherwise deliver creativity and humor are proving popular. KFC Canada earlier this month rolled out a skill that tells fried chicken-themed jokes, pick-up lines and references in pop culture, for example.
Recent forecasts from Juniper Research suggest marketers' ad spending on voice-powered digital assistants will reach nearly $19 billion by 2022. Next year, three of the world's largest agency holding groups, Publicis, WPP and Omnicom, will reportedly increase their Amazon advertising spend to reach up to $800 million, collectively.
