The toothpaste aisle can be overwhelming: Bold colors and bolder claims fill the shelves, as brands make appeals to authority aimed at adults (“four out of five doctors…”) and kids (via superheroes and princesses). Colgate-Palmolive’s Hello tries to take a different approach to make the personal-care space more inviting, from its eponymous greeting in lower-case sans serif through other modern design elements. 

The brand, which Colgate-Palmolive acquired in 2020, is continuing that mission with “Everyday Yay,” a campaign that seeks to bring small moments of joy and whimsy to consumers’ daily routines. The campaign includes three spots and will run nationally across video and social platforms. It was created in collaboration with independent agency Walrus.

“As a brand, Hello is very design forward. They're fun, thoughtfully crafted products, and they taste great, so we wanted to bring that magic to our consumers,” said Kristen Babkes, senior director of integrated brand marketing at Colgate-Palmolive. “How do we help bring those magical moments to people's every day through our products, and now through these spots?”

Each spot highlights a different product in a different way. In a spot for bubblegum-flavored Unicorn Sparkle kids’ toothpaste, a strip of wallpaper comes to life and unfurls a rainbow throughout the home. For the brand’s antiplaque and whitening toothpaste, the spot sees an all-white bathroom take on vivid teal hues, from wall tiles to characters’ pajamas. In a third spot, one whiff of sweet coconut deodorant brings a handful of bath toys to life.

“Our brief was about making the mundane magical — infusing a little joy into those routine moments,” said Deacon Webster, chief creative officer at Walrus, in emailed comments. “As a team we were extremely intentional about making sure that the ‘magic’ in each spot was the right kind of Hello magic and finding that ‘Goldilocks zone’ of not too fantasy and not too real life.”

To find the right balance of fantasy and real life, each spot illustrates a value proposition in a whimsical way. The kid-focused spot looks to capture the playfulness of the flavor and demonstrate how brushing their teeth can easily become a moment that kids look forward to. Similarly, the adult-focused toothpaste spot shows how a small routine can be an uplifting way to start the day, while the deodorant ad keys in on the brand’s unique fresh scent.

“Everyday Yay” is informed by research into the brand’s positioning and consumer base. The brand, which is available at mass market retail, went through what Babkes calls a “summer camp” process and learned that the new generation of parents is parenting differently.

“They’re all about making life kinder, healthier and more fun for their families. We know that Hello can really deliver on these needs through their multisensorial approach to personal care and oral care,” the executive explained in emailed comments. “The creative was designed to resonate with modern families who are looking to elevate everyday routines into fun, feel-good moments for themselves and their children.”

The brand’s ethos comes through in spots that double down on Hello’s clean, contemporary and approachable design style. Both Hello and Walrus worked to maintain that aesthetic through sets, casting and production value, Webster said. Delivering lighthearted fun in ads and on shelves is helping Hello break through with consumers.

“Being accessible, playful and human is core to our identity, and that gives us incredible creative freedom to break away from the typical conventions of the category,” Babkes said. “This lets us be bold and expressive in ways that aren’t bound by traditional industry norms.”