Woolite's campaign shows consumers how to take horror out of washing clothes

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Laundry detergent brand Woolite is highlighting the horror of dirty clothes in its latest campaign.

The brand, owned by Reckitt Benckiser, has tapped horror film director and heavy metal musician Rob Zombie to direct a TV ad for its campaign, "The Torturer," which shows consumers how Woolite can "save clothes from torture" by effectively washing clothes, while caring for all types of clothes, the company said. The ad, which premiered Thursday on Woolite's Facebook page, also will make its debut in movie theaters and on television next month.

"We want consumers to see Woolite as they've never seen it before and to realize it's not just for delicates — all of their clothes deserve to be cleaned with care," said Jiri Kulik, general manager of U.S. household marketing at Reckitt Benckiser. "Our goal is to show consumers that other detergents may be 'torturing' their wardrobe by leaving dimensional changes like shrinking or fading all in a bold, eye-opening manner. Reckitt Benckiser is known for encouraging innovation and thinking outside the box to change the competitive landscape, which is exactly what we've done here."