TIDE | Collateral Stain Stories | 2025
What It's Like Living Right Next to a Superhero / TIDE "Collateral Stain Stories"
To prove it had the strongest detergent around, Tide went looking for the toughest stains out there—and ended up at Marvel. But instead of targeting the heroes, they went after the people in the background who get messed up right alongside them.
The problem
To launch its new product, Oxi Boost, Tide needed more than just another cleaning demo that would get lost in the noise. It needed the toughest stains imaginable. That search led straight to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The insight
They called them "Collateral Stains," and pointed the camera not at the heroes, but at the ordinary people getting hit with dust, spilled coffee, and splattered guacamole around them. By shining a light on the extras' lives that nobody usually notices, the detergent's strength stood out even more.
The idea
In connection with "Captain America: Brave New World," they showed everyday citizens getting covered in grime right next to the heroic action, then showed Tide Oxi Boost cleaning it all up. They cast real MCU extras and rolled the campaign out across online video, social media, and outdoor ads. At the premiere, they even set up a "5D" screening that got the audience themselves covered in stains.
What happened
At Cannes Lions 2025, the campaign won Gold, Silver, and two Bronze Lions—four Lions in total—plus ten shortlist placements. It generated 417 million in engagements and 1.6 billion in earned media impressions, making it the most successful digital launch in Tide's history.
Afterthought
We all look up to heroes, but the truth is, we're actually living right next to them. Our clothes get dirty, coffee gets spilled. The real win here was putting the spotlight, in earnest, on that "next to."
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 2025
