One Drop Is Enough: What Zalo Teaches Us About Brilliant Branding

Zalo is Norway’s best-known dishwashing liquid, trusted in homes for generations. It's famous for being effective, gentle on hands, and incredibly concentrated. “One drop is enough” has been its iconic promise for decades.

In the ad, there’s no product bottle in sight. Instead, we see a stack of green plates, bowls, and cups forming the recognizable silhouette of a Zalo bottle. A yellow cup sits on top as the cap, and the caption reads simply: “En dråpe er nok”, in English: One drop is enough.

Our eye do not immediately understand what we see, but we see that it is something familiar. The picture demand that we look at it until we recognize it. There is also another detail that is missing. The logo. The logo would have confirmed that what we see is what we think we see, but without it we are required to stare a little bit longer before we smile and think "genius".

It’s a masterclass in visual branding.

Why?

Because it communicates everything we need to know in one glance. We instantly understand the message: this product is powerful, just a small amount gets the job done. No bottle, no bubbles, no long explanation. Just a smart visual metaphor that sticks.

This is branding at its best. It’s simple, memorable, and rooted in the product’s core promise. Great branding isn't just about being seen, it’s about being remembered. This emphasizes why brand building is how you make profit, and why clicks don't matter.

And Zalo reminds us: when your brand is clear, even a stack of dishes can tell your story.