Kudos to PHD Canada for turning the tried and true into a cool new medium. Last April, as part of the launch of Dove Cool Moisture Bodywash, the brand’s ‘Fresh Starts’ message piqued consumers’ interest when 540,000 copies of the Metro free daily paper were transformed by cool green newsprint. Sachet samples of Cool Moisture Bodywash were attached to a flex-banner on the cover and a pop-up double-page spread highlighted brand messaging along with a contest and coupon. The cool green editions of Metro hit morning commuters in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Vancouver.

To pull it off, a world search for the right cool green paper was conducted and the feat also entailed extensive testing to see if more than half a million samples could be affixed to the banners within the available four-hour window.

The tactic generated trial and drove growth and volume for the entire Dove Bodywash line.

PHD Canada: Brenda Bookbinder, print portfolio director;

Zoryana Loboyko, account director

Unilever: Mark Wakefield, marketing director, home & personal care