Objective

We’ve got a question for you.

Which do you think uses more water: washing dishes by hand or running the dishwasher?

If you guessed handwashing, you’re in good company.

Believe it or not, the dishwasher saves 20 gallons of water per load compared to the sink. We realized even those passionate about sustainability frequently underestimate how much dishwashers help save water.

This led Cascade on a mission to flip the script on sustainability and dishwashing habits.

People already know and love Cascade’s pods for getting dishes sparkling clean, but not as many realize how much we advocate for sustainable dishwashing to conserve water—an increasingly scarce resource. Our messages weren't sinking in, so we had to think differently.

Here's what we set out to do:

• Engage an audience of advocates to learn new truths about the dishwasher
• Help people experience the immediate benefits that the dishwasher offers, saving them water instantly
• Pave the way for sharing our message broadly and start a movement

The campaign took users on a journey to learn about the benefits of using the dishwasher, test their knowledge and try the appliance out for themselves to spread the message.

We launched a movement with eco-conscious dishwasher advocates, dishing out the truth through our “Rethink the Sink” campaign to change not just minds but also habits—and save gallons of water in the process.

Strategy

For years, dishwashers have been unfairly labeled as the bad guys in the realm of eco-friendly dishwashing, with many letting this powerful tool sit unused.

Our research uncovered a web of myths and misconceptions—like dishwashers waste more water and energy than the sink, are inconvenient or don’t get dishes clean. All of this created a recipe for misunderstanding, resulting in 47 million households that have a dishwasher but don’t use it.

So, who better to start waking up sleepy dishwashers than those truly committed to saving the planet?

We found the perfect partners in the Global Citizen community by sharing a powerful new narrative that dishwashers are our allies in conserving water; we aimed to galvanize them into action.

Global Citizen’s members, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are already leaders in tackling climate issues, boasting more than 43.1 million impactful actions. Their networks could help spread the message.

Our approach was rooted in effective behavior change strategies:

• Make it relatable: We launched during peak dish season with a simple but surprising truth: more water is wasted during the holidays than any other time of the year. Through eye-catching visuals, we illustrated the significant water, time and energy savings dishwashers offer.
• Frame the loss: We tapped into the audience's desire to protect the environment by highlighting the role handwashing plays in deepening the global water crisis. This moment of reflection helped them see how their actions might inadvertently waste resources.
• Set expectations: With the mantra, “Scrape. Load. Done.” Cascade’s message clearly articulates the correct routine. It’s easier and saves more, without any guesswork.
• Connect to values: We spoke to what this audience already cares about: the planet. With water scarcity on the rise, we framed this small shift as a meaningful, values-aligned action.
• Leverage social norms: We injected some friendly competition by gamifying the challenge with real-time participation stats to create FOMO.

By anchoring our strategy in these principles, we were ready to inspire Global Citizens to rethink their kitchen habits and make a lasting impact.

Cascade dished out the truth and created a first-of-its-kind gamified experience designed to help Global Citizens transform their dishwashing habits, all with a focus on what truly matters to them: the planet.

• Articles and quizzes outlined the harsh reality of water scarcity, tying it back to why they should care and arming them with facts to share. 
• A three-day challenge to use the dishwasher introduced them to the newly learned sustainable habit.
• A video visualizing the water savings with the dishwasher circulated on social, making it a fun, relatable way to demonstrate the truth.
• A pledge to establish the social norm of using the dishwasher with Cascade, incentivizing them with a chance to win a year of Cascade as a result.

Launching during the holiday season—when dishes stack up from celebrations—made this campaign both timely and effortlessly engaging.

The outcome was a dynamic, multi-platform campaign that turned dishwashing from a chore into a movement for water conservation—one kitchen, and one dishwasher, at a time.

Results

“Rethink the Sink” wasn’t just a new way to deliver the message; it marked the first behavior change campaign for the Cascade brand and the Global Citizen platform.

In just three months, the campaign had 2,775 people learn about the benefits and wake up their dishwashers, saving 70,080 gallons—about three and a half backyard swimming pools worth.

If each person continued this habit for just one year, it would result in 14 million gallons of water saved. That’s enough to fill about 962+ backyard swimming pools.

We blew past Global Citizen’s benchmark completion rate of 56% with a 22% increase, leading 78% of participants to complete the challenge and pledge to use the dishwasher for three days in a row.

For every Global Citizen who participated in the campaign, we reached 230 people on social media with no paid media, cascading the message and starting a movement of conscious dishwasher advocates. And that was just the beginning, as the campaign is due to go live again this September ahead of the Global Citizen Festival.

We debunked myths, made the switch feel simple and helped shift habits from handwashing to using the dishwasher. People didn’t just learn; they acted, shared and inspired others to do the same.

So, how are you doing your dishes tonight?

Media