Unilever is ploughing £3m into promoting new "fresh release" technology for Persil that gives clothes a just-washed smell for up to four weeks.

New formulations are rolling out across Persil powders and gel tablets that contain microcapsules, which burst to release new fragrance as clothes are worn. Unilever will not market the 28-day message in case it encourages people to wash their clothes less.

Instead, the campaign, breaking in April, will use the strapline 'Just washed freshness all day long'.

Unilever said it wanted the TV ads and in-store activity to engage mums with the brand on a more emotional level.

It will use the new 'Try the end of the day hug' flash across all its marketing, featuring a boy in a Spider-Man costume that still smells fresh when he's hugged in the evening.

The value of the overall Persil brand was flat for the year to January at £206.1m [IRI]. However, Persil powder fell 6.1% to £79.1m in the year to October [Nielsen].

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