The detergent brand is aiming to make its service available at more than 2,000 locations nationwide, offering solutions such as drop boxes in urban areas, 24-hour stores, on-campus delivery, and drop-off points in existing retailers. “Whether you’re one of the millions of people living in a high-rise apartment building or you’re juggling college classes, we know taking care of your clothes may not always be convenient. Our goal with Tide Cleaners is to help people’s increasingly busy lives revolve more around what matters, and less around their laundry,” says Sundar Raman, vice president of P&G’s North American Fabric Care business.

Time pressures have some people looking for any solution to free up their hours, with many willing to pay brands to make their everyday lives easier. Although behavioral science shows that people like feeling in control of their lives, with the outsourcing of daily tasks undermining this sense of control, investment in time-saving services can improve overall happiness. “Many people believe that in order to get laundry done right, they have to do it themselves. Tide is taking this challenge head-on and aiming to give people clean, cared-for clothes and some time back,” says Raman. Tide’s initiative is embracing the idea of servitization – transforming its traditional model to adjust to today’s consumer needs.

Lucia Seoane-Pampin is a behavioural analyst at Canvas8, which specialises in behavioural insights and consumer research. Born and raised in Spain, she loves experiencing different cultures and emotional expressions. She studied psychology and communications in Boston and has a master’s in digital & visual media.