Unilever released Day2, a spray that lets millennials postpone washing their clothes, in the UK last month. Day2 is designed for those clothes that aren’t totally clean but aren’t especially dirty that are frequently tossed onto chairs. By softening fabric, erasing wrinkles and eliminating odors, Day2 freshens up these purgatory clothes enough for them to be acceptable to wear again. Day2 sprays range from GBP 7-10.

A few insights to discuss with your team:

- It was reported that Unilever developed the spray after finding that 60% of millennials have one of these so-called ‘chairdrobes’. Our ASSISTED DEVELOPMENT trend looked at the huge opportunities for brands to help younger consumers ‘adult’ successfully (although of course, this isn’t just a millennial habit! We can imagine many business travelers welcoming this product, too). Are there boring chores or lifestyle pain points that you could eliminate?

- One universal expectation that this innovation speaks to? Convenience without compromise. You’ve undoubtedly sat in endless meetings about how to cater to time-poor, experience-hungry, purpose-driven millennials consumers. If so, bring this innovation to your next session as inspiration! As well as giving consumers more wear from their existing clothes, Day2 is also positioned as the sustainable alternative (by saving the 60 liters of water used in a typical wash). Can you create new products that offer customers a similar win-win? 

- Finally, two broader innovation truths. First, no category is immune from innovation, even those–like washing detergent–that appear stable. Innovators who are alert to new behaviors and new expectations will always find new opportunities. Second, Day2 aims to reduce customers’ usage of detergent, a core part of Unilever’s existing product portfolio. Are you ready to cannibalize your own business, before someone else does?