“You Do Life, We Do Laundry”: Dirt Is Good’s Global VP of Marketing on Culture, Technology, and Leading with Brand Essence

When Dirt Is Good (Persil in the UK and OMO in Brazil) arrived at SXSW London earlier this year, it didn’t look—or feel—like a typical detergent brand. Instead of product demos or pristine displays, attendees found themselves on muddy pitches, dribbling footballs across turf inspired by Brazil’s grassroots culture. Their movements were tracked by a Boston Dynamics robot dog, Spot, and translated into artful “dirt-stained” patterns spray-painted onto personalised shirts. 

This was Dirt Is Good’s brand world—stain-positive, participatory, and proudly messy—brought to life. 

said Tati Lindenberg, Global VP of Marketing at Unilever. “It could be a fantastic one. Just not ours.” 

From Storytelling to Storyliving 

The SXSW activation marked the second chapter in the brand’s Varzenal campaign—a three-part initiative rooted in the raw joy of Brazilian amateur football. It began with local teams competing in Brazil and culminated in a final match at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, crowing an OMO Varzenal Cup winner. The final chapter is now in production: a six-episode documentary series launching globally this summer via KondzillaTV, the largest YouTube channel in Latin America. 

It’s a far cry from Dirt Is Good’s earlier brand playbook. 

“We used to put out the most incredible film that people could see on TV,” Lindenberg reflected. “But it was passive. Now, we offer experiences people can engage with—experiences that make them feel good and see what Dirt Is Good is really about.” 

That idea—letting people interact with the brand rather than just observe it—is central to what Lindenberg calls storyliving. The brand is creating spaces where people get messy—and, in doing so, get the message. 

A Framework Grounded in Culture—and Dirt 

Every campaign starts from a simple framework: cultural insight, category insight, and brand essence. The collaboration with Arsenal FC—Every Stain Should Be Part of the Game—is a clear example. 

“The cultural insight was that six in ten girls fear playing sport because of period leaks. The category insight? Most don’t know how to wash those stains,” said Lindenberg. “When you combine that with our call to get stuck in, the idea becomes necessary.” 

This cultural relevance is always locally informed.

In Saudi Arabia, Dirt Is Good reimagined its iconic stain splat as a henna design, co-created with local creatives. “It’s the most beautiful splat we’ve ever had,” she said. 

For Lindenberg, cultural relevance demands co-authorship. “The story of Beyoncé is never only her story. It’s built with the people around her. The same is true for brands. The people living the lives we want to connect with should have a hand in telling the story.” 

Tech Should Support the Message—Not Distract From It 

Despite the spectacle of Spot, Dirt Is Good’s use of tech is always intentional. “One key principle is to use technology to enhance the message—not the other way around,” Lindenberg said. 

At SXSW, Spot acted as a modern “Caramel Dog”—a nod to the strays often found at Brazilian football pitches—and translated player movement into personalised spray-painted designs. 

This philosophy carries across channels. Dirt Is Good prioritizes message over medium. 

Standing Out in the Sea of Sameness 

As Dirt Is Good moves into new phases—like the upcoming World Cup activation—Lindenberg is wary of the “sea of sameness” that saturates global marketing. “We live in the age of availability. Everyone can do everything now,” she said.

Her advice? Precision. Know what you stand for. Protect your design language. Stay consistent, even when novelty tempts you off course. 

She pointed to Jaguar’s bold rebrand: “It’s a good example of a brand reclaiming its distinctiveness in a noisy market.” 

Leadership Means Knowing When to Say No 

For marketing leaders, especially those working across regions, Lindenberg offered two key lessons. 

“First, don’t lose sight of your core belief. Every campaign should reinforce it—or it risks becoming noise. Second, be okay with saying no. Not every clever idea is a brand idea. Clarity is what earns attention today, not chaos.” 

Final Word 

Dirt Is Good is still, at its heart, a laundry brand. But it has managed to grow into something more—without forgetting what makes it distinct. Through stain-positive storytelling, localised creativity, and a commitment to brand truth, it’s setting a new bar for cultural marketing.