WHIRLPOOL | Care Counts | 2017
A washing machine stopped kids from dropping out / Whirlpool "Care Counts"
In America, one in five children don't have access to clean clothes. That alone makes them miss school more often, putting them at seven times the risk of dropping out. What Whirlpool did was put washing machines in schools. That's it.
The problem
In 2014, Whirlpool launched a brand platform called "Every day, care." Instead of competing on "fast" or "easy" like its rivals, it chose a different path. Research showed that thousands of kids were missing school every day for the simple reason that they didn't have clean clothes. The brand's purpose and a real social problem intersected.
The insight
Not having clean clothes isn't just inconvenient—it's embarrassing, and it's a matter of dignity. Whirlpool didn't stop at donating machines. It built data collection right into the washers themselves, linking each load of laundry to a specific student to track the impact. It turned care into something you could prove.
The idea
Whirlpool installed washers and dryers in 17 schools. Teachers and parent volunteers collected students' dirty clothes, washed them, and returned them. Over the course of a school year, they tracked attendance and grades. This is the kind of program that only an appliance maker could pull off—not a detergent company, not an education nonprofit.
What happened
Attendance improved by more than 90%, and class participation rose by 89%. The program expanded to 47 schools, and the following year, more than 1,000 schools wanted to join. Digitas LBi Chicago won the Innovation Lion Creative Data Grand Prix. As of 2023–2024, the program has reportedly grown to 154 schools and an estimated 50,000 students.
Afterthought
Just by placing washing machines, attendance went up and grades went up. A washing machine company is washing children's futures clean again, one load at a time. There's no flashy creative trick here—just real care. This is the kind of work I'd love to do too.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Grand Prix 2017
Featured in
- The Ad Is Gone, But the System RemainsFrom a university for taxi drivers to a sidewalk you can read with a cane
