Every Day, Care: How Whirlpool Turned Chores Into Connection

 

What was done successfully to meet the wants and needs of the target audience?
Whirlpool recognized that many consumers view chores and caring for a home as thankless, repetitive tasks—and they reframed those everyday actions as meaningful, emotional contributions to family life. They tapped into real stories from real people (via Crowdtap) to show that “every day care” matters. This approach is smart because it gives consumers something more than product features: it gives them affirmation that their daily labor has value and meaning. The campaign didn’t just sell appliances; it sold a narrative that acknowledges and celebrates what people do behind the scenes.

How was the social and consumer experience addressed? Was this done successfully? Explain.
They leaned heavily on user-generated content (UGC), encouraging participants to share stories, photos, and videos of what care means in their lives. Those stories were then curated on a microsite and amplified across social, earned, and paid media channels. By doing so, the campaign made the consumer’s voice central, people felt heard and included rather than being passive recipients of advertisements. I’d say that was very successful. The campaign saw tangible results (12 % year-over-year unit growth, lifts in sales, improvements in consumer sentiment) which suggests that the social/consumer engagement component resonated (Shorty Awards, n.d.).

How were the digital media followers handled?
Followers were turned into active contributors. Whirlpool didn’t just broadcast messages to them, it invited them to co-create. Through Crowdtap, 17,000 advocates shared content, and over 44,000 user generated pieces were collected and shared across paid/owned/earned channels (Shorty Awards, n.d.). The brand didn’t treat followers as passive audiences, but as collaborators in storytelling, and that helps deepen engagement, loyalty, and authenticity.

Is there something that could have been done differently to make that experience more efficient? Why, or why not?
In my opinion, no—I don’t think Whirlpool could have done things much differently. The campaign was very effective in meeting its goals: it reframed everyday chores in a meaningful way, created a space for authentic user participation, and strengthened the bond between the brand and its audience. Any changes to the process might have risked losing the authenticity and emotional impact that made it successful. The strong results show that the campaign was already efficient and impactful as designed.

 

References:

Shorty Awards. (n.d.). #EveryDayCare — Whirlpool, DigitasLBi, and Crowdtap. In 8th Annual Shorty Awards. Retrieved from #EveryDayCare – Whirlpool, DigitasLBi and Crowdtap - The Shorty Awards