In conservative countries where kisses are censored on TV, acting on attraction is far from simple. Barriers of religion, race, sexuality, and gender — alongside prejudices around age, appearance, and wealth — remain deeply present. For people in non-mainstream relationships, expressing attraction is often socially unacceptable. Closeup, a toothpaste brand built on fresh breath confidence, set out to encourage young people to make their move regardless of the barriers they faced.
Pop music has always been the medium to push boundaries against what previous generations deemed taboo. Using The Veronicas' hit single "In My Blood," we created an online music video featuring 26 A-to-Z barrier-breaking moves by diverse, real-life couples — structured so young people in 8 conservative countries could watch, comment, and inspire each other without censorship or fear of judgment.
The platform choice was deliberate: by living online rather than on TV, the film could reach audiences that broadcast censorship would have silenced, and give them a space to respond. For many viewers, it was the first time a branded film gave non-mainstream couples a voice, challenging barriers of race, sexuality, gender, and physical appearance to embody the brand's core belief: nothing should stand in the way of attraction.
Audiences were then invited to share their own moves, with UGC contests running from February through the end of March 2017.
Within two weeks of launch across just three countries, the campaign generated more than 14 million impressions and nearly 4 million views. In Vietnam, it drove a 238% increase in Facebook engagement. The campaign ultimately ran across 8 countries in Africa and Southeast Asia, reaching more than 30 million people on Facebook and YouTube. Audiences didn't just watch — they shared their own moves, told their own stories, and encouraged one another to get close regardless of gender, labels, or race.
"We partnered with RGA to create the global closeup “get your move on campaign”. They created an “A to Z of distinct and inspiring moves” that people could use to get closer to one another. The campaign reached over 30 million people across Facebook and YouTube." - Paul Katimbang, Senior Global Brand Director, Closeup