Moo Deng the baby hippo stars in her first official brand endorsement, encouraging self-hygiene

[Marshy]

Moo Deng’s bouncy, peach-hued cheeks might literally suggest she’s in the pink of health, but she’s now making a splash in hand hygiene too. Thailand’s breakout star, the famous baby pygmy hippo at Khao Kheow Zoo, has fortuitously landed her first sponsored partnership with the Unilever-owned soap brand, Lifebuoy.

 

The campaign, titled H for Handwashing, has an ambitious goal: to turn the letter ‘H’ into a universal reminder for handwashing. And Moo Deng’s got something to say about that.

 

 

In her first branded video, Confessions of Moo Deng, the lovable hippo humorously shares her wish to redefine what ‘H’ stands for. No longer should it simply be ‘H’ for hippo; Moo Deng believes it’s time for ‘H’ to represent something more humanly relevant: handwashing. Her involvement—spearheaded by creative agencies MullenLowe Singapore and MullenLowe Lintas India—is yet another bid from Lifebuoy to encourage lifelong hygiene practices among children and adults alike around the world.

 

 

Since its launch in 2020, the H for Handwashing initiative has reached more than 14 million children across 35 countries, with a specific focus on integrating the positive habit into school curricula worldwide.

 

Joining Moo Deng is an AI-augmented teacher hippo employed to educate children on proper handwashing techniques. By scanning a QR code, families can bring this AI teacher to life, leading children through personalized games, activities, and songs focused on hygiene.

 

 “We are thrilled to work with the world’s most popular and adorable hippo Moo Deng,” remarks Khim Yin Poh, global brand vice president of Lifebuoy. By combining the internet-famous animal with modern technology, the brand seeks to make handwashing education both entertaining and memorable for kids everywhere.

 

• https://campaignbriefasia.com/2024/11/07/lifebuoys-latest-h-for-handwashing-campaign-teams-up-with-viral-hippo-moo-deng/ 
• https://www.adforum.com/news/the-hippo-for-humanity-moo-deng-says-no-more-h-for-hippo-recommends-h-for-handwashing 
• https://www.lbbonline.com/news/moo-deng-says-no-more-h-for-hippo-and-recommends-h-for-handwashing 

 

 

Images: MullenLowe Global