There’s hardly
a more recognizable brand
than WD-40 - and that was exactly the challenge.
The WD-40 brand has been evolving their product offerings for 75 years but no one knew about it. They were still only known for one product - The Original WD-40 Formula.
How do you tell consumers that WD-40 has more than WD-40? The WD-40 loyalists didn’t listen to messaging beyond the iconic shield, and the next generation of fixers were finding new brands with specialized products to suit their needs. You can’t rely on brand loyalty forever.
We needed to be loud. WD-40 brand had the solutions, they just didn’t have the interest. We had to make people stop and question everything they knew. We needed to make them curious again. So, that’s exactly what we did.
The Approach
We chose bold, editorial-style visuals with a buffed-up, oily can that looked like it had been in a garage.
Rather than watering down the ad with marketing fluff, we chose a simple headline that was written how it would be spoken - how you might hear it in a garage.
“If it’s not WD-40… What is it?” This was the question our audience needed to have. And it worked.
The Result
This campaign was described as the brand’s "most successful campaign to date."
Initial hesitation from leadership quickly disappeared when paid media results showed a staggering 100% of respondents* were willing to click on the ad to learn more, proving the high actionability of the campaign across social channels.
Consumers echoed the sentiment, saying the bold, eye-catching claims left them "inspired and bursting with curiosity." The simple yet provocative designs captured their attention and sparked an immediate desire to explore WD-40's full range of products.
Media Engagement
We tapped into the community's natural desire to share knowledge and problem-solving tips by posting a series of Reddit Engagement Prompts.
By prompting engaging questions that subtly linked back to our lesser-known products, we sparked conversations that encouraged organic peer-to-peer learning. The results were remarkable, driving deeper awareness of our full product range and fostering a stronger connection with our audience in an authentic, community-driven space.
5.8M
IMPRESSIONS
23.5K
CLICKS
.40%
CTR
25% ABOVE BENCHMARK
25% ABOVE BENCHMARK
1.13%
ENGAGEMENT RATE
64% ABOVE BENCHMARK
64% ABOVE BENCHMARK
Creative: Bethany Schrock, Sue Tran Strategy: Nick McVey, Brandon Creamer Design: Vero Romero, Mao Velazquez
Copy: Elissa Hesler, Hilaary Comier