Glade enters the IP game with a Hello Kitty twist on home fragrance

Glade, the home fragrance brand under SC Johnson, has stepped into the world of pop culture with a regional collaboration that’s winning hearts, and noses. Its latest "Glade® X Hello Kitty" campaign, marks the brand’s foray into IP tie-ups, blending nostalgia, design appeal, and emotional storytelling to reach new audiences across Southeast Asia.

SC Johnson shared with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that the collaboration was born out of a desire to connect with consumers in more culturally resonant ways. The partnership with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty reflects Glade’s evolution from a traditional home fragrance label into a lifestyle brand that celebrates personal expression and everyday joy. By aligning with an icon that spans generations, the brand has managed to engage loyal fans while attracting younger consumers drawn to aesthetic and emotionally uplifting experiences.

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Running across multiple ASEAN markets, the campaign was anchored by a unified creative theme and hero visuals rolled out through social media and on-ground activations. Localisation, however, played a key role. Influencer and key opinion leader (KOL) partnerships were central to ensuring cultural relevance, with each market tailoring its approach.

In Thailand, for instance, Glade took the collaboration on the road with a series of experiential events including an exclusive appearance by Thai celebrities Sky and Nani; while in Malaysia, the campaign leaned heavily into CGI-enhanced storytelling to appeal to Hello Kitty and anime fan communities online. Over in Philippines, the collaborative scents were also rolled out via TikTok Shop and partnerships with local KOLs.

On the eCommerce front, the Glade® X Hello Kitty range was made available on Shopee and Lazada across most ASEAN markets, with a TikTok Shop-exclusive activation in Malaysia. While specific figures remain confidential, the company reported healthy product uptake and growing consumer interest since launch, a sign that the tie-up successfully bridged lifestyle appeal with commerce.

A forward-looking shift

The collaboration also signals a broader strategic shift for Glade towards culturally-revelevant and content-driven marketing. By weaving sensory appeal with emotional storytelling, Glade is exploring how partnerships with beloved cultural icons can deepen consumer connection and reflect the brand’s growing relevance in contemporary lifestyles. SC Johnson noted that IP collaborations such as this one are helping to extend the brand’s reach while positioning Glade as attuned to the evolving interests of its consumers.

Although the brand did not disclose specific performance metrics, SC Johnson shared that each market’s campaign is subject to post-mortem analysis tied to strategic objectives, covering engagement, awareness, and conversion.

So far, consumer response has been overwhelmingly positive. In Thailand, experiential activations around the campaign generated notable earned buzz and media coverage. Malaysia’s social-first approach also saw strong engagement and content performance, while Singapore and Vietnam, both still in their rollout stages, have shown early signs of promising anticipation.

Among the key takeaways for the brand was the importance of market-specific storytelling and influencer-led content in driving relevance and conversions. SC Johnson told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that these localised and customised experiences have significantly amplified talkability and conversion, while influencer-led storytelling also emerged as a powerful driver, consistently driving higher engagement across platforms. 

More IP collabs to come?

Looking ahead, the household supplies brand remains open to exploring more IP collaborations across its brand portfolio. It also shared that it viewed partnerships as a powerful way to expand its reach and build meaningful connections with customers, adding that it is always looking to work with like-minded partners who share its goal of creating “feel-good moments” that leave a positive impact on communities.

Looking back on other Sanrio collabs, Grab Singapore teamed up with Sanrio earlier this year for an exclusive Grab Signatures giveaway featuring Hello Kitty, Kuromi and Cinnamoroll. The campaign is part of Grab’s broader marketing and customer engagement strategy for 2025, combining exclusive co-branded merchandise with food discovery on the platform. The campaign aims to boost visibility for its Signatures merchants including crowd-favourites such as Wingstop, CHAGEE, Playmade and Don Don Donki while creating meaningful connections with users.

In July, Baskin-Robbins Malaysia and Singapore turned up the charm with a new collaboration featuring Sanrio’s fan-favourite character Kuromi, blending sweet treats with playful aesthetics in a campaign designed to captivate younger consumers. The brands, operated by Golden Scoop, have transformed select outlets into Kuromi-themed diners, launched exclusive merchandise, and rolled out limited-edition cakes and ice cream flavours to celebrate the partnership, part of an ongoing strategy to remain culturally relevant and spark deeper emotional engagement with fans.

Earlier in March, Sanrio itself unveiled a campaign across Southeast Asia targeting counterfeit products and aiming to enhance intellectual property protection. The campaign, titled "Sanrio values authenticity" is centered on key markets such as Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia, where it seeks to educate consumers on the dangers associated with counterfeit goods, including inferior quality and safety issues.

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