Downy

Clean Sheet Week

Downy is one of P&G’s fabric softener brands. It’s designed to make clothes feel softer, smell fresher,

and reduce static and wrinkles, helping laundry come out more comfortable and ready to wear.

PROBLEM

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but Downy wanted to attract a younger audience.

SOLUTION

We brought a claim to life by making it entertaining, unexpected, and shareable.

OUTCOME

The campaign generated buzz and press, making Downy feel relevant and modern.

EXECUTION

Campaign
Experiential
Guerilla Stunt
Content Creation
Programming
Livestream
Video
Digital
Social
Outdoor

Ahhh, clean sheets.
One of life's most glorious experiences.

What’s better than jumping into clean sheets? When Downy launched a new fabric softener that was seven times stronger, it meant that the fresh-sheet feeling could last all week. To bring that idea to life, we created Clean Sheet Week. In partnership with Macy’s, we put comedian and best-selling author Mike Birbiglia in a fully built bedroom inside a department store display window in Herald Square, where he slept for a week. Live. For all the world to see.

Mike actually slept there, with four streaming cameras capturing everything. He invited people in off the street, along with well-known writers, filmmakers, actors, and cultural voices like Lena Dunham, creator of Girls; Ira Glass, the voice behind This American Life; and Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black, both comedians known for their work as actors, writers, and directors. All week, fans could follow along, watch live, and interact online in real time.

Yes. He really slept in the window.

3:18 "Getting Ready"

Worst celebrity endorsement ever? Maybe.

Mike Birbiglia was an unexpected but perfect choice. His one-man show and memoir, Sleepwalk with Me, centers on his real-life struggle with a rare sleep disorder, told with humor, honesty, and self-deprecation. That made him the unlikeliest spokesperson for the campaign, and exactly why it worked. His everyman perspective made the idea feel human and relatable, helping it land as entertainment rather than advertising.

1:44 The Case Study

A softer look.

Visually, the challenge was blending three brands seamlessly. Downy, Macy’s, and Mike Birbiglia. We drew inspiration from fashion watercolor illustrations, which naturally connect to the product through fabrics and texture. The soft, muted palette mirrored the product's feel and created a cohesive, harmonious look across all three worlds.

#CleanSheetWeek

Sure, we expected to draw tourists, but when real New Yorkers stopped, watched, and actually interacted with Mike, we knew we were onto something. That same curiosity carried over online, where viewers engaged with Mike and were genuinely surprised when he responded. For his sanity, we gave Mike some downtime and cut the sound, assuming we’d lose half the audience. Instead, people stayed. They started chatting with each other as they watched Mike check his email, make calls, and quietly go about his day. Over the course of the week, we built a very dedicated and engaged community that grew by the hour.