Procter & Gamble’s fabric softener Downy has a new product on the market: Downy Rinse and Refresh, a clear solution designed to remove foul odors from clothing better than laundry detergent alone.

To help promote the item, which is available in two scents—Cool Cotton and Fresh Lavender—Downy has recruited ’90s pop royalty the Backstreet Boys to appear in a commercial.

In the 30-second spot, created by Saatchi & Saatchi and P&G’s in-house agency the Woven Collaborative, members of the boy band, channeled through a framed poster on the wall, dissuade a fan from throwing away an old, smelly t-shirt by singing a revised version of their hit song “I Want it That Way.” Well, certain parts of it, at least.

The answer to her conundrum, of course, is Downy Rinse and Refresh.

“The Backstreet Boys were the brand’s first choice for talent in the commercial, as they provided the perfect blend of nostalgia and mainstream relevancy that Downy hopes to bring to consumers,” said a P&G spokesperson.

The campaign will appear on online video, social media, streaming platforms and broadcast television.

New media

Meanwhile, amid high rates of inflation, consumers are paying more for everyday household goods.

Laundry detergents, fabric softeners and window cleaners were up 11.5% in October compared to the same time in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Toilet paper and paper towels cost shoppers 11.8% more.

As the high costs also squeeze corporate profits, P&G has pulled back on marketing.

“Absolute dollar advertising spending is down,” Andre Schulten, P&G’s chief financial officer, told reporters during an interview in mid-October.

In an earnings call with analysts, also in mid-October, Schulten noted the company is shifting its marketing budget away from linear television in favor of programmatic ecosystems, which offer better targeting and more control over how many times consumers see a particular ad. The Cincinnati-based manufacturer now allocates more than 50% of its media spend to digital channels.

A P&G spokesperson noted Downy has secured more ad inventory for its latest campaign than typical for the brand to “bring the spot to wider audiences than its traditional advertising buys.”

For the three-month period ending Sept. 30, P&G’s Fabric and Home Care segment, which includes Downy, along with Tide, Dawn, Mr. Clean and other brands, saw organic sales increase 8% compared to the same quarter in 2021 due to higher prices. Volumes declined.