A New Cycle

WHIRLPOOL’S WASHING MACHINES CAMPAIGN GAVE STUDENTS A FRESH START.

- David Gianatasio

In the fall of 2015, Whirlpool launched a pilot program in Fairfield, Calif., and St. Louis that put a whole new spin on the concept of wearables.

We’re not talking about internet-connected garments. Rather, the technology powering “Care Counts” consisted of conventional washing machines and dryers, donated by the client to initially 17 schools. The goal: provide students with clean clothes in order to boost their confidence, reduce truancy, and increase kids’ desire to connect with their peers and teachers in classrooms every day.

Research suggests that students are 20 percent more likely to skip classes when they don’t have clean clothes. “We discovered stories of teachers doing laundry for disadvantaged students,” says Kristine Kobe, vp, account director at DigitasLBi, which helped develop the initiative. “We knew we could provide a solution that could have an immediate impact.”

By the end of the academic year—and 2,000 loads of laundry later—attendance showed a marked improvement, with more than 90 percent of the pilot program’s participating kids spending about six more days in class compared to 2014-15. Their grades improved, too, as did peer interactions and involvement in extracurricular programs.

Last fall, the initiative expanded into schools across Baltimore; Benton Harbor, Mich.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Nashville, Tenn. Launches for 2017 include Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and New Orleans.