When a washing machine starts to malfunction, it also starts to dance. 

Turning the fact that broken machines move around and shake, a campaign from Whirlpool and VML Mexico successfully turned this everyday problem into a viral, social opportunity. The work successfully engaged online audiences with a campaign that encouraged people to share their dancing washing machines in return for discounts. 

The campaign was born from the insight that on platforms like TikTok users were already authentically sharing videos of their washing machines dancing chaotically during spin cycles.

With authority in the washing machine space, Whirlpool had an opportunity to engage with existing online discourse with humour and by offering technical support and discounting. 

Capitalizing on the cultural conversation, Whirlpool asked audiences to upload a video of their washing machines dancing. It then put the videos through an algorithm created by Whirlpool and VML Mexico that could analyze the movements of the machine to assign the video with audio from a library of tracks with a BPM that fits the washing machine’s dance. The algorithm also gave each washing machine a unique customer discount - the bigger the dance, the bigger the discount. 

Luis "Madruga" Enriquez, Chief Creative Officer of VML Mexico, explained: “Instead of hiding a technical flaw, we decided to embrace it. We turned that 'dance' into a common language with our audience to activate repurchases through emotion, humor, and technology.”

After a slow down in the home appliance market post-pandemic, the social campaign aimed to connect with younger audiences and people planning to buy their first washing machine. As well as building sales the campaign aimed to build the brand’s cultural relevance and start new relationships with Gen Z homemakers.  

The campaign resulted in over 6,000 user-generated videos and a TikTok engagement rate of 10.4%, a figure that surpassed Whirlpool's historical average on the platform by 580%. Brand attributes linked to recommendation, consideration, and purchase intent grew between 5 and 9%.

"This industry tends to communicate the technical. We decided to connect from the cultural and emotional. When a washing machine dances, it's not the end; it's the beginning of a fun and effective experience for the user," added Héctor Fernández, CEO of VML Mexico.

The campaign, launched in November 2024 as a prelude to Buen Fin (Mexico's equivalent of Black Friday), and resulted in washing machine sales growth by 47% year-over-year, exceeding the initial target of 30%. There was also a 40% increase in interaction with technical assistance services and a 136% increase in positive brand sentiment.

Embracing joy and dancing to malfunctions, Whirlpool’s humorous tone captured the imaginations of its customers and showed its expertise in the sector. The social campaign underlines the importance of playing in social media culture with authenticity and authority to connect with audiences.