British mouthcare brand Waken has launched a major in-store retail media activation with Tesco, using neck-tagged Whitening Mouthwash bottles featuring TV and radio presenter Rylan Clark to drive shopper engagement at shelf as part of the brand’s wider “Rylan’s Big Kiss” campaign.
The campaign, which rolls out across Tesco stores from today, 1st June, sees more than 32,000 bottles of Waken Whitening Mouthwash fitted with promotional neck tags across the retailer. Alongside the activation, Waken’s Enamel Care Mouthwash and Whitening Toothpaste are also available in Tesco stores and will be featured on promotion throughout the campaign period.
The activation forms a key part of the broader “Rylan’s Big Kiss” campaign, celebrating fresh breath confidence, chemistry and modern dating culture through public activations, shopper engagement and digital content. The neck tags direct shoppers into the wider #BigKiss campaign, including competitions, influencer-led activity across TikTok and Instagram, behind-the-scenes content and films created from Waken’s live “Big Kiss” activation at Old Spitalfields Market, where members of the public shared their best, worst and most memorable kissing stories.
The Tesco initiative reflects both brands’ commitment to bringing greater attention to oral care and making the category more engaging for shoppers. While oral health is a fundamental part of everyday wellbeing, it can often be overlooked within personal care routines. Tesco has continued to invest in growing awareness and education within the oral care category, helping ensure it remains a visible and important focus for customers in-store.
For Waken, the opportunity is also about bringing a fresh perspective to the category. By combining accessible pricing, effective products and personality-led campaigns, Waken aims to make conversations around oral care feel more relevant, enjoyable and confidence-boosting.
The campaign highlights the role good oral hygiene can play in everyday life, from feeling more confident at work and on dates to socialising with friends and making positive first impressions. Waken believes that when oral care becomes something people genuinely want to talk about, it naturally receives the attention it deserves within daily routines.
Rhodri Ferrier, co-founder of Waken, said: “Retail media is no longer confined to digital placements. We wanted to use the bottle itself as a media touchpoint, something that could interrupt, entertain and drive shoppers into a broader campaign experience. Rylan’s Big Kiss is about making oral care feel more culturally relevant, confidence-driven and enjoyable. Oral care shouldn’t feel clinical or boring, and Tesco has been a fantastic partner in helping us bring that energy directly into the shopping environment while also shining a spotlight on the importance of everyday dental health.”
The campaign is also underpinned by insight from Waken’s first-ever “Big Kiss Report”, a nationwide YouGov study exploring kissing, confidence and modern intimacy in the UK. The research found that bad breath is now Brits’ biggest “kiss killer”, with 63% of UK adults naming it among the top things most likely to ruin a romantic kiss. Poor oral hygiene followed at 56%, while strong food smells such as garlic and coffee ranked third at 35%.
Waken says the findings highlight growing anxiety and overthinking around intimacy and confidence, reinforcing the campaign’s focus on helping make oral care feel more culturally relevant, confidence-boosting and socially engaging.
