Tag: Consumer engagement

Listerine: Flipbook With Bad Breath

Bad breath is one of the most embarrassing issues for people when they socialize. Listerine decided to bring this experience to life with a flipbook that released a pungent onion scent.

To induce trials, a coupon was attached to the back of the flipbook and people could redeem it for a free Listerine bottle at nearby locations. Reported redemption rates reached 66%.

How the flipbook makes “bad breath” real

The mechanism is sensory contrast. The flipbook invites curiosity, then the onion scent turns the message into a physical reaction rather than a line of copy. The coupon sits at the exact moment of discomfort, offering a clean, immediate next step.

In personal care and FMCG trial programs, multi-sensory sampling can convert awareness into action by making the problem visceral and the solution frictionless.

Why it lands

This works because it skips explanation and goes straight to feeling. People do not need to be persuaded that bad breath is awkward. The scent creates instant empathy, and the coupon makes the brand’s role clear. It is not just “remember Listerine”. It is “fix this now”.

Extractable takeaway: If you can make an invisible problem tangible in seconds, you earn attention. When the solution is placed immediately at the point of reaction, trial becomes the natural next move.

What to steal

  • Use one sensory punch: pick a single sense and make the idea unmistakable, not subtle.
  • Place the offer at peak relevance: the call to action should appear exactly when the user feels the problem.
  • Keep the conversion step simple: a clear redemption path beats a complex signup flow.
  • Design for public reaction: when people react visibly, the activation creates its own distribution.
  • Measure beyond reach: redemption and repeat behavior are the real KPIs, not just views.

A few fast answers before you act

What is the Listerine “flipbook with bad breath” activation?

It is a flipbook handout infused with an onion scent to simulate bad breath, paired with a coupon for a free bottle to drive trial.

Why add scent instead of just showing a message?

Scent turns an abstract problem into an immediate, physical experience. That speed is what makes the idea memorable and shareable.

What role does the coupon play?

It converts the reaction into a next step. The coupon makes the solution actionable at the exact moment people feel the discomfort.

Is the 66% redemption figure reliable?

It is reported in trade coverage. If you need it as a hard metric, keep it but treat it as reported unless you have the primary source.

Where does this pattern work best?

When the product solves a problem people already recognize, and when you can make the problem instantly tangible without crossing into humiliation or offense.

Fantastic Delites: Delite-O-Matic

In this latest example, ad agency Clemenger BBDO Adelaide set out to see how far people will go for a free pack of Fantastic Delites.

So a machine dubbed the “Delite-O-Matic” was created that gave people a free pack of Fantastic Delites by means of pushing a button hundreds of times or performing challenges. It was then put out on the streets to prove that because Fantastic Delites taste so good, people would go to incredible lengths to get them.

Sampling that people choose to earn

Interactive vending machines are a great way to get consumer participation and engagement on the ground. There are tons of examples out there, of which some have been covered here.

The mechanic that makes it watchable

The mechanism is effort-based reward. The machine sets an instruction, the participant complies, and the prize is dispensed only after the effort is visible. The escalating “work” becomes the entertainment, and the entertainment becomes the message.

In FMCG sampling and retail activations, interactive vending machines are a repeatable way to exchange effort for product trial.

Why it lands

This works because it turns sampling into a story people can instantly judge. The point is not only “free snack”. The point is “what would you do for it”. Each extra button press or challenge makes the product feel more desirable, and the crowd becomes a built-in audience.

Extractable takeaway: When you make the cost of entry visible, you turn a giveaway into a social moment. That moment carries the brand further than a silent handout ever could.

What to steal

  • Make the exchange legible: people should understand the rule in one glance, and the effort should be obvious on camera.
  • Escalate, then release: tension comes from “will they do it”. Satisfaction comes from the dispense moment.
  • Keep the prize simple: the product is the hero. The machine is the stage.
  • Design for bystanders: the best sampling stunts recruit a crowd even before the first pack comes out.
  • Let participation become proof: the more people comply, the stronger the implicit claim becomes.

A few fast answers before you act

What is the Delite-O-Matic?

It is an interactive vending machine activation that dispenses a free pack of Fantastic Delites after people complete button-mashing or challenge-style tasks.

Why use effort instead of a simple giveaway?

Effort creates a story. It increases attention, pulls in bystanders, and makes the reward moment feel earned, which boosts recall and sharing.

What’s the key behavioral trick?

Visible commitment. When people publicly invest effort, the product feels more “worth it”, and the scene becomes entertainment for everyone around.

Where does this work outside snacks?

Anywhere trial is the goal and the product is easy to dispense or unlock. Beauty samples, quick-service food, entertainment promos, and event activations.

What’s the main risk?

If the tasks feel humiliating or unfair, the tone can flip. The sweet spot is playful challenge with a clear, quick payoff.