Home is in the Air – Airwick 2014 | Clapboard Ad Archive

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Home is in the air - Airwick | Clapboard Ad Archive

Air Wick’s Home is in the Air campaign, developed by Droga5 for the household product category and launched in the United States in 2014, is a masterclass in leveraging the emotional territory of home and memory to establish deep resonance with consumers. Rooted in the real-life separation of a military father—Kearen—from his North Carolina-based family for nearly a year, the campaign pivots on the power of scent as a direct line to emotional connection, positioning Air Wick’s product as more than an ambient enhancement and instead casting it as the very vehicle for bridging personal distances. Anchored around a bespoke gift crafted in collaboration with Kearen’s family, the work uses digital storytelling to walk viewers through the anticipation, absence, and ultimately the reconnection that fragrance can facilitate, reinforcing the idea that home is as much a feeling as a place. With over 3.4 million views, the campaign’s reach underscores its relevance and relatability, striking an authentic chord with audiences who recognize the universality of longing for loved ones. Droga5 deploys Air Wick’s sensory branding to move beyond functional territory, intertwining narrative-driven content with product utility—as classified by Clapboard’s taxonomy in FORMAT#5—Exemplary Story, where the resolution of the protagonist’s central conflict is inseparable from the presence of the product. Rather than relegating Air Wick’s offering to the periphery, the campaign makes its scent the fulcrum on which the entire emotional journey hinges, ensuring that the brand’s value proposition is felt, not just heard. The campaign earns 69/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. Home is in the Air exemplifies why the most evocative creative in the house and garden sector comes from brands willing to entwine authentic storytelling with product purpose, because meaning is built not just on what a product does but on how it makes us feel in the moments that matter.

Credits

Client

Airwick

Agency

Droga5

Executive Creative Director

David Droga

Chief Creative Officer

Ted Royer, Sally-Ann Dale

Creative Director

Tim Gordon, Mike Long

Senior Copywriter

Tara Lawall

Art Director

Devon Hong

Head Of Broadcast Production

Ben Davies

Producer

Adam Perloff

Broadcast Producer

Leah Donnenberg

Senior Print Producer

Joni Adams

Strategic Planner

Jonny Bauer, George Bennett

Senior Brand Strategist

Will Davie

Category Mind Map

48%

The "Home is in the Air" campaign by Airwick leverages the emotive power of scent to reinforce the brand’s promise of bringing the comforting essence of home into any environment. By focusing on the deeply personal story of a military father separated from his family for nearly a year, the campaign underscores Airwick’s value proposition: their products do more than mask odors—they evoke emotional connections and the feeling of being home, even from afar. This narrative approach extends the brand beyond a functional household product to an emotional touchpoint that resonates with consumers seeking familiarity and comfort in their living spaces. Strategically, the campaign taps into a universal human experience—longing for home—and carves a niche within the household product market by linking scent with memory and emotional presence. The choice to highlight a military family not only personalizes the narrative but also targets a broader audience who can relate to periods of separation or displacement, thus widening the campaign’s emotional reach. This insight drives the creative angle, transforming a simple product demonstration into a moving story. By utilizing digital media and focusing on story-driven content, Airwick effectively engages viewers through authenticity and emotional resonance rather than traditional product-centric advertising, aiming to build brand affinity through meaningful, relatable storytelling.

FORMAT#5 EXEMPLARY STORY — Tells a story where the product plays a vital role in the plot or resolution. This campaign fits the Exemplary Story format because it centers on the real-life narrative of a military dad separated from his family and how Air Wick intervenes to bridge that emotional gap. The campaign constructs a story arc—military separation, longing for home, and the innovative use of scent to create a powerful emotional reunion. The product (Air Wick’s scent) is not just featured as a benefit but becomes the decisive force resolving the core conflict, making the product pivotal to the story’s emotional resolution. This narrative approach is supported by the YouTube metadata, which emphasizes the collaborative effort to bring a father closer to home, positioning the product as an enabler of emotional connection rather than simply demonstrating functionality.

1. Glade – Market Positioning Glade positions itself as a trusted, affordable, and widely available air freshener brand focused on providing a variety of scents and delivery formats. Glade emphasizes convenience and consistent, long-lasting freshness, appealing primarily to mainstream households seeking familiar and reliable home fragrance solutions. 2. Febreze – Market Positioning Febreze differentiates by highlighting odor elimination technology rather than just masking smells. Positioned as the scientifically advanced air care brand, Febreze targets consumers who want to actively eliminate odors and create fresh, clean environments in their homes through innovative and multipurpose products. 3. Yankee Candle – Market Positioning Yankee Candle leverages its reputation for premium, high-quality scented candles and home fragrance products. It appeals to consumers seeking a luxurious, sensory experience and emotional connection through sophisticated, often seasonal scents designed to create ambiance and enhance home décor. 4. Renuzit – Market Positioning Renuzit focuses on simple, customizable air freshener solutions that are easy to use and affordable. Their strategic angle is providing effective odor control with a minimalist design approach, catering to budget-conscious consumers who value versatility and convenience without sacrificing performance. 5. Air Essence – Market Positioning Air Essence differentiates itself by offering natural, eco-friendly air freshener products with essential oils and safe ingredients. It targets environmentally conscious consumers who prioritize health, sustainability, and natural home care options over synthetic fragrances.

Q: What is Home is in the air about? A: Home is in the air is a professional campaign launched by Airwick in the United States in 2014, created by the agency Droga5. The campaign centers on the real-life story of Kearen, a military father separated from his family in North Carolina for 11 months, and explores how Airwick’s fragrances can evoke the comforting feeling of home even from afar. Through a digital medium, the campaign documents the collaboration with Kearen’s family to create a unique, scent-based gift, using the emotive power of smell to bridge the emotional gap caused by distance. The work positions Airwick as a brand that delivers more than functional benefits, highlighting its role in fostering emotional connections. Q: What creative device does Home is in the air use? A: Home is in the air employs the Exemplary Story format, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This approach constructs a narrative arc around a military father’s separation from his family, with Airwick’s product serving as the pivotal element that resolves the emotional conflict. Rather than simply demonstrating product functionality, the campaign integrates Airwick’s scent as the decisive force enabling a sense of reunion and belonging. By embedding the product within a real, emotionally charged story, the campaign elevates the brand’s role from a household utility to an enabler of meaningful human connection, aligning with Clapboard’s definition of an exemplary story-driven campaign. Q: What is the campaign proposition for Home is in the air? A: The campaign proposition for Home is in the air positions Airwick as a brand that transcends basic odor masking to deliver the emotional essence of home, even across great distances. By focusing on the personal story of a military father’s separation, the campaign targets consumers who value familiarity, comfort, and emotional connection in their living spaces. This strategic angle differentiates Airwick within the household product category by linking scent to memory and belonging, appealing to anyone who has experienced longing for home. The narrative-driven approach seeks to build brand affinity by presenting Airwick as an emotional touchpoint rather than just a functional product. Q: How does Home is in the air rank in Clapboard's archive? A: Home is in the air holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 69/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. Q: Who are the competitors in Airwick's category? A: In Airwick’s household product category, key competitors include Glade, which is positioned as a trusted and affordable air freshener brand focused on convenience and long-lasting freshness for mainstream households; Febreze, which emphasizes odor elimination technology and scientific innovation for consumers seeking a clean environment; Yankee Candle, known for premium, sensory-driven home fragrances that create ambiance and emotional resonance; Renuzit, which offers simple, customizable, and budget-friendly air freshener solutions; and Air Essence, which targets environmentally conscious consumers with natural, eco-friendly products made from essential oils.