Showcase Case Studies Sunlight Dishwashing Liquid

Sunlight Dishwashing Liquid Case Study: Rebuilding Trust Through Real Consumer Proof

sunlight-dishwashing liquid real kitchen use

problem

Sunlight is one of South Africa’s most established and trusted household brands. However, following a formula change, long-time users began questioning key product attributes, including foam, fragrance and cleaning performance. What makes this challenge particularly critical is the nature of the category: for everyday household essentials, dissatisfaction does not always result in vocal complaints, but rather in quiet switching at the shelf.
This shift in sentiment created a risk not only to consumer loyalty but also to retailer confidence during a key trading period. In categories built on habit and trust, perception can change faster than brand messaging can respond. The challenge, therefore, was not simply to communicate improvements, but to rebuild belief through real, visible product performance in the place where trust is formed; everyday household use.

our solution

To rebuild trust at scale, the campaign shifted away from traditional brand-led messaging and focused on consumer-led proof. theSalt deployed a fully connected advocacy ecosystem in under 48 hours, activating real households across South Africa to purchase (or be reimbursed for) Sunlight Dishwashing Liquid and use it in their daily routines.
Consumers were encouraged to share authentic dishwashing moments, showing the product in action, from tackling grease to demonstrating foam and cleaning power in real kitchens. This content was distributed across Meta and TikTok, creating a steady stream of peer-to-peer validation. A micro-influencer layer was introduced to reinforce key product messages, while high-performing content was amplified through paid media to maximise reach and efficiency.
By combining product trial, community advocacy, influencer support, and paid media into one integrated system, the campaign ensured both speed and scale. Most importantly, it replaced claims with proof, allowing real consumer experiences to reshape perception and rebuild trust organically.
Goal vs Achievement
226% of planned content delivered
Significantly exceeded campaign output expectations
4.34× ROI from Brand Advocate impressions
Visible sentiment shift driven by real household experiences
9× ROI from Product Advocate impressions
Large-scale positive peer-to-peer conversations

deliverables

The campaign delivered a fully integrated advocacy ecosystem designed to rebuild trust through real consumer behaviour. This included the activation of hundreds of households to purchase, trial, and share their experiences with Sunlight Dishwashing Liquid, generating authentic user-generated content rooted in everyday kitchen routines.
Content was distributed across Meta and TikTok, supported by a micro-influencer layer to reinforce messaging and a paid media strategy to scale high-performing content. The campaign also incorporated execution verification and proof-of-purchase tracking, ensuring that all advocacy was grounded in real product use. Managed end-to-end by theSalt, the campaign connected trial, content, amplification, and measurement into a single performance-driven system.

channels used

content examples

sunlight liquid foam cleaning demonstration

why it worked

  1. Trust was rebuilt through real consumer proof, not claims
  2. Product performance was demonstrated in context (the sink)
  3. Peer-to-peer advocacy created credible sentiment shift
  4. Speed of execution (under 48 hours) captured momentum quickly
  5. Integrated ecosystem ensured content, reach and ROI worked together

Short campaign story

When trust in a household staple starts to slip, the fastest way to lose consumers is quietly and the hardest way to win them back is through advertising alone.
Sunlight didn’t try to out-message the problem. Instead, it returned to where trust is built: the kitchen. By activating real households to use, test, and share their experiences, the campaign transformed everyday dishwashing moments into powerful proof points.
From foam to performance, consumers showed the product doing what it’s meant to do. And in doing so, they didn’t just create content, they rebuilt belief.
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