The multipurpose lavender product makes your house ‘dramatically clean’ in spots from VML.

In a Latino household, when Rocio Durcal songs begin to play on a Saturday morning, it’s cleaning time. Fill up the mop bucket and get to work—sleep is no more!

This universal experience and the distinct smell of a lavender cleaner—Fabuloso—mark the core memories of Latinos everywhere, which is why Colgate-Palmolive’s campaign for the multi-purpose cleaner came (to me, at least) as a bit of a surprise. After all, the product is a staple that many Latinos are aware of without the need to be advertised.

“Dramatically Clean,” created by VML, targets the Latino demographic through a parody of the modern telenovela, featuring over-the-top characters and skits of drama within a seemingly wealthy Latino family.

Created with directors Traktor, three spots depict food fights and family feuds (interrupted, of course, by Abuelita and a bottle of Fabuloso), tragic messes and even a reading of Abuelita’s last will, backdropped by a Spanish guitar theme song.

The spots feature a title slide that mimics the family shot in “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” coincidentally as the campaign kicks off during “The Kardashians” Season 5 premiere on Hulu. Comedically poor acting, colorful outfits and deep sighs punctuate drama throughout.

While the spots are fun to watch and meant to portray the excitement of cleaning with Fabuloso, it will be interesting to see the reaction to the campaign—as the over-the-top personalities, their wardrobes and the deep Spanish accents might be seen as overly stereotypical by some. Some of the portrayals of the characters are in line with common stereotypes of Latinos in media, including the Latin lover, which is depicted in the “Last Will” spot.