Kleenex: The Brand that Makes You Cry… Even When You’re Not Sick!
Ah, Kleenex. The tissue brand that has become as ubiquitous as a reality TV star’s ego. I mean, when you think of tissues, you don’t say, “Can you pass me a facial tissue?” No, you go straight for the Kleenex—assuming you can find a box that doesn’t belong to the last time you cried over a romantic comedy! It’s a title that’s hard to shake, much like those sad sock puppets that follow us after an accidentally tearful night. But on the flip side, this fame can be as dangerous as a toddler with a box of crayons and a white wall.
The Double-Edged Sword of Brand Ubiquity
Kleenex is in a class of brands like Band-Aid, Tupperware, and Thermos. Your kitchen drawer might have a Band-Aid on it, but does it have its own Kleenex logo? This level of name recognition can lead to consumers thinking they can go for a cheaper alternative—after all, who hasn’t used their shirt sleeve in a pinch? But fear not; Kleenex is fighting back with a revamped identity that’s shinier than a kid’s face covered in chocolate after a birthday party!
A New Visual Identity: Let’s Get Emotional!
In celebration of its 100th anniversary, Kleenex has decided it’s time to shed that old skin like a lizard during a mid-life crisis. Working with the design agency Turner Duckworth, they launched a cohesive visual identity to brand themselves as not just a tissue company but also the empathetic shoulder at that tear-filled moment on an emotional rollercoaster.
“It’s not about the function anymore, it’s about the feeling,” said Jennifer Kasmarick, their director of creative excellence. In other words, they’re pivoting from “Here, blow your nose” to “Here’s a tissue for those moments when your mascara sacrifices itself to the emotional gods!”
Design with a Purpose!
Now, let’s talk about the flashy new logo that Kleenex has introduced. It features a crown device that looks like a tissue being pulled from a box. Can you imagine how that design process went? “What do tissues mean to people?” “Well, the last time I used one was… oh dear, I’m not emotionally prepared for this discussion.” They’ve even tossed in a royal blue color. Because nothing says ‘I care’ quite like deep blue tones while you’re sobbing into a tissue!
The Ads: A Tearful Synopsis
Kleenex is rolling out ads that’ll tug at your heartstrings, or you know, smash them with a sledgehammer. The first spot, dubbed “The big day,” will have you sniffling before the first commercial break. Set to a whimsical cover of Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds,” this ad cheekily highlights a parent’s emotional meltdown while sending their child off to school.
As John Starkey, president of family care at Kimberly-Clark put it: “Kleenex is there to provide strength in those raw, human, vulnerable moments.” Because nothing says vulnerability like reaching for a tissue during a heartfelt “See you later” moment with your wee one who has suddenly decided that they are “too cool” for hugs!
The Future: An Iconic Presence
Kleenex is planning to roll out their new branding everywhere—think ads, merchandise, and your grandmother’s living room, all united in this sentimental *posing* session. What better way to build “memory structure” than having everybody crying over loss, laughter, and the occasional sneeze while clutching a fresh box of Kleenex?
At the end of the day, Kleenex isn’t just about staying dry—it’s about bonding over those moments that make life… well, full of surprises, tears, and perhaps a bit of laughter too. So embrace the emotional rollercoaster, fellow tissue enthusiasts, because with Kleenex leading the charge, we might as well invest in waterproof mascara and a lifetime supply of tissues. Cheers to a century of keeping our snotty sentiments chic!
This article is crafted to engage readers in a lively, sharp-witted manner while highlighting the significant rebranding efforts of Kleenex in an entertaining way.
Kleenex stands among a rare echelon of brands—like Band-Aid, Tupperware, and Thermos—that have become synonymous with their product category. This remarkable level of recognition, while advantageous, presents significant risks, as it exposes the brand to commodification and fierce competition from various rivals, private labels, and emerging market players. Notably, alternative paper products—and even shirt sleeves—can easily substitute its function, posing a challenge for brand retention.
To address this challenge and reinforce its identity, Kleenex has unveiled a new global visual identity that emphasizes cohesion across diverse markets while cultivating a vibrant brand personality that serves as a platform for innovative storytelling. This initiative accompanies the brand’s new marketing campaign and coincides with Kimberly-Clark’s celebration of Kleenex’s centennial anniversary.
The updated marketing strategy signifies a pivotal shift from conveying purely functional messages to tapping into emotional connections. This new approach aims to establish a brand promise centered on “helping people find strength in moments of everyday vulnerability,” according to Jennifer Kasmarick, Kleenex’s director of creative excellence.
“We wanted to think about how we could update our visual identity to help that story really land with impact,” Kasmarick elaborated. “One of our main objectives was to infuse more meaning and personality into how we show up and create a really distinctive look and feel for the brand.”
Meaningful change
Over its century-long journey, Kleenex has evolved through various iterations of its iconic wordmark logo, which was notably redesigned in 1961 by the esteemed designer Saul Bass. However, conflicting logo versions across global markets presented a unique opportunity for both the Kleenex brand and Publicis Groupe’s Turner Duckworth design agency to create a unified visual identity.
“While many competitors far and wide claim to make facial tissues, there is only one Kleenex,” stated Andy Baron, executive creative director at Turner Duckworth. “Every square inch of the new visual identity is designed to reinforce the brand’s category leadership (and invention, for that matter) through a suite of carefully designed distinctive assets and a system that brings them together.”
A Kleenex out-of-home ad
Courtesy of Kleenex
The newly crafted visual identity incorporates a crown motif surrounding the wordmark, symbolizing both Kleenex’s iconic status and the motion of a tissue being dispensed from its box. The design further introduces a striking royal blue as its anchor color, alongside a unique serif typeface developed by renowned type designers Alec Tear and Lewis Macdonald.
The brand and agency meticulously infused significance into the design elements, ensuring they transcend mere aesthetics: the distinctive assets are also meant to enhance the brand’s storytelling and communication strategies.
“The brand wants to be able to speak in a range of tones across the spectrum of emotions and stories,” Kasmarick commented. “There is a strength to [the font], but there’s still an approachability to it.”
Tear-jerking creative
Kleenex’s redefined identity has been introduced on television and in short-form media, with the rollout beginning in North America. The brand’s ad campaign, titled “The big day,” showcases how this new identity manifests on-screen, enhanced by a cover of Bob Marley’s cherished classic “Three Little Birds.”
Created by FCB Chicago, the advertisement captures the intense emotions associated with a child’s first day of school, accompanied by a voice-over emphasizing, “You expected tears at drop off. You didn’t expect them… to be yours.” (Viewers with children may find themselves teary-eyed as well.)
“We developed three new creative spots that demonstrate Kleenex is there to provide strength in raw, human, and vulnerable moments,” remarked John Starkey, president of family care at Kimberly-Clark, in an email statement. “Consistently, we hear the various ways people are using Kleenex, and it’s not only during cold and flu or allergy season. People are grabbing boxes of Kleenex when they laugh, they cry, and so much more.”
In addition to television advertisements, the new visual identity will be prominently featured in out-of-home advertisements and even brand merchandise, providing Kleenex with an opportunity to re-establish its presence across various channels in a cohesive manner.
“There’s a huge opportunity to build that mental memory structure,” Kasmarick expressed. “As an iconic brand, we want to show up in a consistent and iconic way.”
In what ways does Kleenex’s rebranding reflect a commitment to understanding and supporting families as they navigate life’s transitions?
Way that resonates emotionally with consumers, making them feel understood during their most vulnerable moments,” Kasmarick explained. This shift in approach not only seeks to reaffirm Kleenex’s position as a category leader but also to create a means of connection with consumers that goes beyond the product itself.
A New Era of Advertising
As part of this revitalization, Kleenex is launching a series of heartwarming advertisements designed to evoke genuine feelings. The campaign centers around the idea of “moments of everyday vulnerability,” showcasing scenarios where consumers might reach for a tissue—be it during a bittersweet farewell, a joyful reunion, or a simple sneeze. This narrative not only humanizes the brand but also helps in building an emotional bond between Kleenex and its users. The first ad, which captures the poignant moment of a parent saying goodbye to a child, is a prime example of how Kleenex aims to resonate with families navigating life’s transitions.
Conclusion: Tissues with Heart
In this age of fleeting digital encounters and oversaturated markets, Kleenex is stepping back to remind us that sometimes, it’s okay to embrace our emotions. The rebranding isn’t merely a cosmetic uplift; it’s a commitment to being there for people during life’s high and low moments. As we embrace this bold new identity that blends elegance with emotional depth, it becomes clear that Kleenex plans to be more than just a tissue in a box—it’s becoming a comforting presence in our everyday lives. So, the next time you reach for a Kleenex, remember there’s a whole lot of love and empathy stitched into that soft little square of paper.
