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Listerine's "Bring Out the Bold"
2019–Present · Global · Television / Digital / Social Media · Oral Care
Context
“Bring Out the Bold” positioned Listerine as a product that helps people feel confident enough to speak, laugh, and express themselves freely. The campaign reframed mouthwash not just as a hygiene product but as a catalyst for bold social interactions.
It sold confidence—not just fresh breath.
The Problem It Solved
Late 2010s oral care landscape:
Toothpaste brands dominating the category conversation
Mouthwash often seen as optional rather than essential
Consumers increasingly interested in confidence-driven personal care
Owned by Johnson & Johnson (and later under its consumer health spin-off Kenvue), Listerine needed a fresh emotional narrative to maintain relevance.
Strategic Insight
Functional Product Perception
Mouthwash was often seen as purely clinical.
Low Emotional Engagement
Hygiene benefits alone rarely inspire strong brand loyalty.
Category Competition
Oral care messaging focused heavily on cavity protection and whitening.
Listerine needed to connect hygiene to personal expression.
Execution Discipline
A. Real-Life Social Scenarios
Ads showed people confidently engaging in conversations and public moments.
B. Emotional Messaging
Confidence framed as the product’s ultimate benefit.
C. Digital Engagement
Encouraged users to share stories of bold self-expression.
D. Consistent Brand Voice
Energetic and empowering tone across channels.
What It Avoided
Overly clinical messaging
Technical dental jargon
Fear-based hygiene advertising
Narrow focus on germs and bacteria
Dry healthcare branding
Instead, it focused on personal expression.
Brand Impact
Strengthened emotional connection with younger audiences
Reinforced Listerine’s leadership in the mouthwash category
Expanded perception of mouthwash as part of daily confidence routines
Generated strong engagement on social media platforms
The campaign refreshed the brand’s personality.
Why We Love It
From a strategic lens:
Turned hygiene into empowerment
Expanded product meaning beyond function
Aligned oral care with social confidence
Modernized a long-established brand
It made mouthwash feel relevant to everyday life.
The Takeaway
Functional products become powerful
when they unlock human confidence.
By connecting oral care to bold self-expression, Listerine turned hygiene into a personal empowerment tool.
What Would Have Broken It
Messaging disconnected from real product benefits
Inconsistent tone across campaigns
Failure to maintain credibility with dental professionals
Overpromising emotional outcomes
Lack of authentic storytelling
Confidence messaging must feel believable.
Applicability In Today’s Market
Today’s personal care environment:
Confidence-driven branding growing
Self-expression central to consumer identity
Social media amplifying personal voices
Transferable principles:
1. Turn Functional Benefits Into Emotional Outcomes
2. Align Product Use With Everyday Confidence
3. Focus on Human Behavior, Not Just Features
A modern evolution might emphasize:
influencer storytelling around self-expression
interactive confidence challenges online
mental wellness and social comfort
community-driven digital campaigns
The enduring lesson:
When people feel confident,
they become bolder versions of themselves.
