UNILEVER LAUNDRY ADDITIVE
RKS Design partnered with Unilever to conduct global research, uncovering insights into hygiene and wellness. The result: a laundry additive adds value benefits like vitamins and protected health.
What We Did
When Unilever approached RKS, they had a bold vision: to revolutionize the role of laundry beyond just cleaning, transforming it into an essential tool for public health and hygiene. They sought a solution that could seamlessly integrate sanitization and insect-repelling properties into fabric without requiring behavioral changes. RKS uncovered critical insights through our research, revealing that consumers instinctively interact with their clothing throughout the day—presenting an opportunity to turn every touch into a hygiene-enhancing action. By leveraging our Psycho-Aesthetics methodology, we guided Unilever in shaping a scalable, impactful solution that would improve hygiene and wellness in both developed and emerging markets.
Psycho-Aesthetics™
Product design is more than just winning awards; it’s about creating emotional connections between the product and the user. Our human-centered approach, Psycho-Aesthetics, helps us understand and quantify these connections. RKS leveraged Psycho-Aesthetics to map the Unilever Laundry Additive on the PA Map by analyzing consumer emotions, behaviors, and sensory perceptions related to hygiene and wellness. By identifying key drivers such as trust, self-actualization, and dynamic empowerment, RKS positioned the product within the Nightingale Opportunity Zone, ensuring it resonated emotionally while offering functional, intuitive benefits that seamlessly integrate into daily life.
At RKS, research is more than data collection—it’s about uncovering the human story behind the problem. Through deep ethnographic studies and our Psycho-Aesthetics methodology, we identified key behavioral and emotional drivers that would shape the Unilever Laundry Additive. We developed personas that represented real-world users, such as Usha, a mother in an emerging market seeking affordable ways to protect her family’s health, and Hadrian, a wellness-conscious consumer prioritizing sustainable solutions. These insights allowed RKS to design an experience that would not only be functional but emotionally resonant, reinforcing trust, rejuvenation, and shared wellness.
With a clear understanding of consumer needs, RKS designed a product that integrates advanced hygiene technology seamlessly into everyday routines. We explored multiple innovative solutions, including molecular swords for germ-killing, quorum sensing for bacterial control, and functional fragrances that enhance sanitization. By incorporating the Lotus Effect for stain resistance and effervescence as a visual usage indicator, we ensured a tangible, reassuring experience. Our goal was to create a solution that felt natural, effective, and effortless—turning the simple act of wearing clothes into an opportunity for protection and wellness.
Once the core product was defined, RKS refined the experience through user testing and iterative design. We validated the ability of the fabric to sanitize hands upon contact, deposit antimicrobial coatings, and repel disease-carrying insects—all while maintaining comfort and usability. Consumer feedback led to fine-tuning aspects such as fragrance balance, fabric texture, and the longevity of sanitization effects. RKS also developed an engagement strategy using the Hero’s Journey framework, mapping out how users would discover, adopt, and advocate for the product, ensuring it resonated in the marketplace and beyond.
Bringing this innovation to market required a strategic roadmap, and RKS collaborated with Unilever to craft a launch plan that balanced scalability with impact. We identified key partnerships with health organizations, retail channels, and government stakeholders to drive adoption. With projected revenues reaching €69M by Year 5, test markets in India and the Netherlands were selected to validate and optimize the rollout. Every step of the development process was aligned with industry regulations, sustainable production practices, and technological feasibility—ensuring that the Unilever Laundry Additive would set a new standard for hygiene innovation in everyday life.
RKS Project Spotlight
UNILEVER LAUNDRY ADDITITVE
RKS Design partnered with Unilever to conduct global research, uncovering insights into hygiene and wellness. The result: a laundry additive that sanitizes on contact, repels insects, and transforms fabric care into a tool for global health and sustainability
What We Did
When Unilever approached RKS, they had a bold vision: to revolutionize the role of laundry beyond just cleaning, transforming it into an essential tool for public health and hygiene. They sought a solution that could seamlessly integrate sanitization and insect-repelling properties into fabric without requiring behavioral changes. RKS uncovered critical insights through our research, revealing that consumers instinctively interact with their clothing throughout the day—presenting an opportunity to turn every touch into a hygiene-enhancing action. By leveraging our Psycho-Aesthetics methodology, we guided Unilever in shaping a scalable, impactful solution that would improve hygiene and wellness in both developed and emerging markets.
Psycho-Aesthetics
Product design is more than just winning awards; it’s about creating emotional connections between the product and the user. Our human-centered approach, Psycho-Aesthetics, helps us understand and quantify these connections. RKS leveraged Psycho-Aesthetics to map the Unilever Laundry Additive on the PA Map by analyzing consumer emotions, behaviors, and sensory perceptions related to hygiene and wellness. By identifying key drivers such as trust, self-actualization, and dynamic empowerment, RKS positioned the product within the Nightingale Opportunity Zone, ensuring it resonated emotionally while offering functional, intuitive benefits that seamlessly integrate into daily life.
At RKS, research is more than data collection—it’s about uncovering the human story behind the problem. Through deep ethnographic studies and our Psycho-Aesthetics methodology, we identified key behavioral and emotional drivers that would shape the Unilever Laundry Additive. We developed personas that represented real-world users, such as Usha, a mother in an emerging market seeking affordable ways to protect her family’s health, and Hadrian, a wellness-conscious consumer prioritizing sustainable solutions. These insights allowed RKS to design an experience that would not only be functional but emotionally resonant, reinforcing trust, rejuvenation, and shared wellness.
With a clear understanding of consumer needs, RKS designed a product that integrates advanced hygiene technology seamlessly into everyday routines. We explored multiple innovative solutions, including molecular swords for germ-killing, quorum sensing for bacterial control, and functional fragrances that enhance sanitization. By incorporating the Lotus Effect for stain resistance and effervescence as a visual usage indicator, we ensured a tangible, reassuring experience. Our goal was to create a solution that felt natural, effective, and effortless—turning the simple act of wearing clothes into an opportunity for protection and wellness.
Once the core product was defined, RKS refined the experience through user testing and iterative design. We validated the ability of the fabric to sanitize hands upon contact, deposit antimicrobial coatings, and repel disease-carrying insects—all while maintaining comfort and usability. Consumer feedback led to fine-tuning aspects such as fragrance balance, fabric texture, and the longevity of sanitization effects. RKS also developed an engagement strategy using the Hero’s Journey framework, mapping out how users would discover, adopt, and advocate for the product, ensuring it resonated in the marketplace and beyond.
Bringing this innovation to market required a strategic roadmap, and RKS collaborated with Unilever to craft a launch plan that balanced scalability with impact. We identified key partnerships with health organizations, retail channels, and government stakeholders to drive adoption. With projected revenues reaching €69M by Year 5, test markets in India and the Netherlands were selected to validate and optimize the rollout. Every step of the development process was aligned with industry regulations, sustainable production practices, and technological feasibility—ensuring that the Unilever Laundry Additive would set a new standard for hygiene innovation in everyday life.
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