Sure goes all in with FOBO ad

Sure’s latest ad is playing on our FOBO (Fear of Body Odour) in its new work by AMV BBDO, with help from Tropical Film, tenthree, UNIT TV PRODUCTIONS, and Wave Studios London.

Adverts are designed to make consumers use a product more. There, I said it.

Sometimes, products have found new uses. Listerine was originally developed as a surgical antiseptic in the 19th century before being marketed as a floor cleaner and cure for gonorrhoea. Now, of course, we cleanse our cake holes with it after brushing.

There are many more examples: Play-Doh was initially created as a wallpaper cleaner. Coca-Cola was a medicinal tonic. Duct Tape was originally designed as a waterproof sealing tape for military ammunition cases in World War II.

Sometimes, then, stuff can do other stuff. But, in the case of Sure, its latest ad ‘No More FOBO’ is an attempt to make consumers rethink how they use it, and consider the often neglected parts of their anatomy which might be adding to their odourous emissions.

As Jack Smedley, creative director at AMV BBDO, said: “It's not every day you get paid to debate how many people call their shirt potatoes ‘shirt potatoes’, but then it’s not every day you get briefed to launch a new category. Turns out only 1% of your body odour comes from your armpits so maybe it's time we started normalising our smelly ‘bundas’, ‘bazoombas’, ‘ta-tas’, ‘nads’ and ‘nuts’.”

There you go, then. More Sure means fewer sweaty pores. And some subverted anatomical references further drum the message home.

Our take

Unless, like a disgraced royal, you’re immune from sweating, Sure’s advert works effectively to make you dwell continuously on the various daily activities that might cause excessive perspiration.

Shot in a style akin to Benny Bennassi’s ‘Satisfaction’ video, the advert sticks in the brain long after it's ended.

Do I think the advert is effective? Yes. Will I be liberating my deodorant use as a result? Probably not, as I’m quite fond of my post-gym sauna/steam/shower routine. Not that it’s any of your business.