Don't clean, disinfect your surfaces says Lizol in new ad

Imagine a kid who looks worried when his dad returns home. The kid's main source of worry is that his dad will bring germs and viruses back home with him. It is a thought that's also crossed our minds several times when we've seen a family member return home in the last few months.

To allay the kid's and your fears and anxieties, Lizol has come out with a new campaign ad called 'Safe to Touch'. The Reckitt Benckiser (RB) brand is placing itself as the surface disinfectant you must use to wipe floors and any other surface – that are resting grounds for germs and viruses - you may touch.

In the ad, we see those red virus cells lurking around a doorknob and floor that somebody has walked on, and is now dirty; come on, dad. However, once you dilute Lizol in water and clean these places, the virus disappears. That's because the brand claims it kills "Coronavirus that causes COVID-19."

According to a press release, Lizol Disinfectant Surface Cleaner, which is manufactured in India, has been tested by an internationally accredited external laboratory, and proven to be 99.9 per cent effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Sukhleen Aneja, CMO and marketing director, RB Hygiene, South Asia, said, “Lizol is a global disinfection champion, and has been working towards educating consumers on the need and importance of surface disinfection to protect our loved ones during the ongoing pandemic. We are experiencing a heightened hygiene consciousness around us, and in that context, it’s important for us to educate consumers on the need for surface disinfection, along with personal hygiene.”

“Lizol’s range of disinfectant multi-surface cleaners have been tested and proven effective at killing COVID-19 virus. With the new campaign, Lizol aims to educate consumers to not just clean, but disinfect their homes, making every surface 'Safe to Touch'.”

Skand Saksena, director R&D, RB Hygiene Home, South Asia, added, “At RB, we exist to protect, heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world. Lizol Disinfectant Surface Cleaner is one of the leading hygiene products in RB’s portfolio that has been tested and proven to be 99.9 per cent effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.”

“These findings have established that Lizol Disinfectant Surface Cleaner prevents the spread of this deadly infection by disinfecting contaminated surfaces, and helps in keeping homes clean and germ-free.”

Prasoon Joshi, CEO and COO, McCann Worldgroup, the agency behind the ad, had this to say, “This film is about educating consumers on protecting themselves and their families from germs and viruses, which is very important and relevant in the current scenario. The campaign looks at creating awareness on germs at home, not just on the floors, but multiple surfaces like doorknobs, kitchen counters, etc.”

In the last month or so, we've seen ads from Asian Paint (Viroprotek hand sanitiser) and Dettol liquid. These ads have stressed on cleaning high-frequency touchpoints - we must make sure to keep them clean, just as we wash our hands daily.