Smile: Basis Cloths Clean Up

Brandweek, June 26, 2000 by Christine Bittar

Beiersdorf next month starts a six-month, $7 million advertising campaign for its Basis cleansing cloths, its biggest effort behind the brand in years.

Major market radio spots break in July for Basis So Refreshing Facial Cleansing Cloths, with print set for August issues such as Allure, Cosmopolitan, Jane, Marie Claire, Mademoiselle, Seventeen, YM and Fitness. TBWA\Chiat\Day,N.Y.,handles.

Simple, uncluttered creative features the box and a pure white smiley face, presumably stripped of color--in this case, makeup and dirt--while a used cloth with the face's yellow paint sits below. Copy reads: [Clean refreshing tingle not pictured]."

The cloths are alcohol- and soap-free, safe for sensitive skin via such botanicals as chamomile, green tea and comfrey (Brandweek, Nov.29, 1999).

Aside from rivals Andrew Jergen's Bior[acute{e}] and Unilever's Pond's, Procter Gambles Oil of Olay recently joined the cloth fray.