Tati Lindenberg knows brands. With 20 years in FMCG, she now serves as Chief Brand Officer for Dirt Is Good—Unilever’s third-largest brand, known in different markets as OMO, Persil, Skip, Surf Excel, Rinso, or Breeze, and present in 50 countries reaching half a billion households worldwide.
She is also Head of Unilever Fabric Cleaning, leading the strategic direction and growth of the business across more than 60 markets.
Her journey from a small town in Brazil to the global stage reflects a career built at the intersection of creativity, culture, and leadership. She has helped shape campaigns that blur the line between advertising and storytelling, including “The Autograph” campaign with Arsenal star Bukayo Saka and its Brazilian adaptation featuring Vini Jr.
Her approach blends craft and cultural insight, tailoring global ideas to local contexts, from period stigma work with Arsenal Women in the UK to the henna-inspired “Art of Stains” campaign in Saudi Arabia.
In our conversation, Lindenberg reflects on the lessons that shaped her path, the role of vulnerability in creative work, adapting campaigns across diverse Asia Pacific markets, and how Dirt Is Good continues to evolve its purpose to connect with new generations while staying true to its legacy.
You’ve described yourself as a ‘frustrated film producer’ with a passion for art and cinema. How does that creative background influence your approach to advertising and brand expression?
In my experience, brand storytelling is most powerful when approached as a craft – a deliberate and thoughtful way of connecting with audiences. When we prioritize authentic storytelling that resonates with our audiences, we create campaigns that are both meaningful and memorable. That’s what I’ve found most rewarding about our work on Dirt Is Good.
Take The Autograph campaign, for instance. We told the touching story of a young boy who idolizes the Arsenal player Bukayo Saka. In the hero video, his parents accidentally wash his most treasured item – an Arsenal shirt signed by Saka – unknowingly removing the cherished autograph.
The narrative then follows the boy’s heartfelt quest to find Saka and have the shirt signed once more. What I loved about this story – and what I believe truly connected with audiences – is that it couldn’t have existed without the brand at its core. We made Dirt Is Good/Persil the ‘villain’ by washing away the autograph, which set the entire plot in motion. Without the stain, there’s no story. Without the brand, there’s no emotional trigger. That creative tension gave the narrative its impact.
We made Dirt Is Good/Persil the ‘villain’ by washing away the autograph, which set the entire plot in motion.
The success of that campaign in the UK encouraged us to adapt it for Dirt Is Good/OMO in Brazil, featuring Vini Jr., one of the world’s most admired footballers. His story of resilience, especially as a Brazilian icon, added another layer of cultural meaning. These campaigns are examples of the power of creative storytelling to drive impactful work that can be appreciated as a form of entertainment.
From a small town in Brazil to leading one of the world’s largest fabric cleaning brands – what leadership lessons have stayed with you, and how do they influence your leadership today?
One of the most enduring pieces of advice I received came from a former Unilever colleague and mentor, Steve Miles. He encouraged me to always maintain a deep respect for knowledge. Whether it’s behavioural science, research, or data, understanding the context before making a decision is something I’ve consistently carried with me.
Whether it’s behavioural science, research, or data, understanding the context before making a decision is something I’ve consistently carried with me.
Another lesson that has always stuck with me came about in a less conventional way. Early on in my career, another manager told me that showing emotion and vulnerability was a weakness, so for years I thought I had to be detached to be an effective leader.
It wasn’t until years later, when I teared up at the showing of a campaign video, that I learned the opposite to be true. On seeing me become emotional, my former line manager told me that they thought the campaign was my best work, and it was clearly because of how much I cared. That moment reshaped my perspective.
I’ve since embraced vulnerability as a strength. Being emotionally invested in the work – and the people behind it – only enhances its quality. Women in particular are often told to suppress emotion to be taken seriously, but I’ve found the opposite to be true. Passion makes you a more authentic, relatable, and inspiring leader.
Gotta ask – what’s the story behind the name Dirt Is Good?
It’s a great question! The idea came about in 2004 when Unilever took the decision to unite several top-performance laundry brands from around the world – OMO, Persil, Skip, Surf Excel, Rinso, and Breeze – under a single global identity.
Dirt Is Good was based on a fundamental human dilemma – the tension between protecting our children and allowing them the freedom to explore, learn, and grow. It was the first time any laundry brand had tried to humanise a category that was so inherently functional by tapping into something that was emotionally charged and provocative.
Rather than seeing dirt as a problem, we reframed it as a sign of living fully and learning through experience.
Rather than seeing dirt as a problem, we reframed it as a sign of living fully and learning through experience. We posed provocative questions ‘What can dirt do for your child?’ ‘How can it unleash human potential?’ It marked a fundamental shift in how people perceived both dirt and cleaning – and it gave us a distinctive, values-driven narrative.
Working across diverse Asia Pacific markets, what have you learned about adapting creative to different cultural contexts? Can you share an example where a campaign resonated in one market but needed to be adapted in another?
Cultural sensitivity is at the heart of everything we do. From the beginning, we knew Dirt Is Good would only succeed if we understood and respected the values of each community. Through extensive research, we uncovered a consistent insight across markets like India, Vietnam, Pakistan, and China: dirt was more acceptable when acquired in the course of helping others and doing something good. That allowed us to localize the global brand story in ways that felt authentic and relevant.
In China, for example, one early campaign showed a young boy helping his grandmother carry groceries. When the bag breaks, he uses his white t-shirt to create a makeshift bag, which is then splashed with road water and dragged along the floor – very much in need of a wash by the end! The dirt and stains acquired in this way become a badge of honour, rather than something to be frowned upon.
Another example of cultural consideration in action is our recent campaign to tackle the taboo around period stains. In the UK, this took the form of a bold partnership with Arsenal Women’s Football Team and Arsenal in the Community, challenging stigma head on to drive conversation and debate – all in the hope young girls would feel able to play on without worrying about period stains. We called this campaign It’s Part of the Game.
In contrast, our approach in Saudi Arabia required a more culturally sensitive strategy. We focused on henna parlours – safe, private spaces for women – as entry points for dialogue.
Our campaign, Art of Stains, used beautiful henna patterns based on laundry symbols to subtly educate women about period stain removal. It was a gentle but impactful way to spark conversation in a culturally appropriate context.
You lead a brand with deep heritage. How are you keeping it relevant for younger generations while honouring its legacy?
Relevance is all about evolution – remaining true to your brand’s purpose while adapting how you express it. We’ve refreshed the Dirt Is Good positioning through ‘eras’. Our current Play On era brings the brand into the world of sport – a space full of inspiring stories, resilience, and, of course, tough stains.
This evolution has allowed us to connect with new generations of consumers and communities around the world. For instance, we partnered with Arsenal Women’s Football Team to tackle the issue of girls dropping out of sports due to concerns about period stains. Research showed that over 75% of girls aged 15–18 stop playing sports because of their periods, 60% due to fear of stains.
Our campaign reached over 24 million people across 34 markets and sparked important conversations, particularly among younger audiences. We’re also innovating to meet changing consumer needs. Today’s consumers are time-poor and want effective solutions fast. That’s why we launched Wonder Wash – a high-performance detergent for short cycles – tailored to modern lifestyles.
What advice would you give someone just starting out who aspires to lead a brand one day?
My advice is simple: be bold about your ambitions. When I joined Unilever, I hoped I’d have the opportunity to work abroad. I told my manager, ‘If anything comes up, please put me forward.’ By 2006, I was in the Netherlands. Two years later, I was living in India. Those moves transformed my career – and they happened because I wasn’t afraid to voice what I wanted.
That confidence was instilled in me by my mother. Back home in Brazil, she hosted weekly gatherings for women and girls in our community – ostensibly ballet classes, but really safe spaces to share dreams, challenges, and goals. Those sessions gave me the courage to pursue my ambitions, and I carry that spirit with me to this day.
Quick Hits:
A recent app or tool you can’t live without:
Oura – it helps me better understand how my sleep, stress, and recovery rhythms affect not just my performance at work, but my well-being at home too.
An ad campaign (not your own) that inspired you:
This Is Sportswashing by An-Nahar Newspaper – a bold, purpose-led campaign that used silence and media space to make a powerful statement. It reminded me of the power of restraint in storytelling.
A skill you’re working on:
Active recovery. I’ve always been a high-energy person, but I’m learning that rest and reflection are just as crucial for creative leadership as action.
One word your team would use to describe your leadership style:
Empathetic.
