Crossman Communications

Transcription

1 Crossman Communications 2011 PRIA Golden Target Awards Preliminary Entry Category 9: Consumer Marketing and Social Marketing

2 Executive Summary It was an unheard of product in a category many are wary of and the brief was simply to turn it from zero to product hero. Struggling to get product off shelves, Vitaco Health approached Crossman Communications to create a strategic campaign for Biolane TM Active Green-Lipped Mussel Extract (GLME). Although an effective natural solution to alleviate joint stiffness and pain, there was no news surrounding the product, media sceptics abounded and editorial restrictions by regulatory bodies were problematic. To champion Biolane TM and its two sub-brands, including one being launched into the Australian market Crossman developed a strategy based on credibility. We established trust via compelling case studies and credible spokespeople a scientific guru, supported by a much-loved ambassador and ensured relevancy with Newspoll research to demonstrate joint stiffness affects most Australians. We targeted a trusted media outlet, A Current Affair, to tell the story, setting the scene for a wealth of radio interviews and print and digital coverage. The sales results were phenomenal November sales of Nutra-Life Musseltone were 697% above those in September prior to the campaign launch and sales of Wagner Musselforte were 471% higher than the optimistic forecast. Pleasingly, both brands continue to excel, performing well above expectations.

3 Situation Analysis The efficacy of Biolane TM Active GLME is supported by considerable scientific research, but low awareness and uptake in the Australian market had been frustrating the Vitaco sales and marketing team for several years. With so many supplements targeting joint relief and contributing to consumer confusion from glucosamine and fish oil to competing Green-Lipped Mussel products Crossman s challenge was to create a strong news hook to ensure Biolane TM Active GLME became top of mind when talking about alleviating joint pain. The client did not advertise, nor engage in direct marketing. There was a modicum of in-store promotion, but challenging the glucosamine juggernaut was proving impossible with the limited funds available. Public relations was targeted as the sole medium to generate excitement and influence buyer behaviour (although the success of our campaign did lead to Musselforte advertorial on The Morning Show and in Body & Soul four months after launch). A further complicating factor was the need to also promote both sub-brands Nutra-Life Musseltone, distributed via health food shops, and Wagner Musselforte, newly available in pharmacies with equal fervour. The latter was only launched into the Australian market in September 2010 and had no track record. But it did have foreboding sales targets. Goals and Objectives The campaign s goals were to: Build awareness of Biolane TM Active GLME as a highly effective natural solution to treat a range of conditions, largely the promotion of healthy joints. Position Nutra-Life Musseltone and Wagner Musselforte as the original and best Green- Lipped Mussel Extracts for joint health, with key active ingredients unique to Australasia, backed by sound scientific evidence. Encourage consumer trial of both brands, promoting long-term use for the most effective results. The stipulated measureable objectives were: Achieve at least one major TV story on A Current Affair or Today Tonight Achieve 100 positive stories for Biolane TM Active GLME and its brands Achieve a known audience of at least 10 million Achieve a 100% increase in Musseltone sales Achieve initial sales targets for the new Musselforte brand

4 Research Crossman examined client studies and undertook extensive research to bring the Biolane TM Active GLME campaign to life. To help shape our campaign, a media audit was conducted with key journalists (both general and health reporters) to understand their take on health supplements. Our investigation was disheartening. The overwhelming feedback was that the media was extremely reluctant to cover stories involving supplements, which they deemed was akin to promoting snake oil to the gullible. We poured through Vitaco data to understand their target market and also sourced statistics for joint wear, pain and injury to determine the scope of the potential audience. Crossman also schooled up on the strict rules and regulations surrounding editorial and promotion of health supplements and complementary medicines. The Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA) and Complementary Health Council of Australia (CHC) are cautious in the extreme, providing more speed bumps than roadside assistance. Target Publics Age was the key factor in determining the target audience, given the natural wear and tear on joints as we grow older. Highly active individuals, particularly those involved in sport or regular physical activity to stay fit and healthy, were also identified as key targets. And, given women s greater propensity to lose bone density over time, a slight female skew was factored into the campaign. Therefore, the final consumer target market was men and women aged 30 years and more who have a high discretionary buying power, with an emphasis on women aged 40-plus. Natural therapists, health food store owners and pharmacists, who all provide advice to patients and recommend specific products, were also an integral component of the target market.

5 Communication Strategy To overcome the hurdles with target media and regulatory bodies, Crossman needed to create a highly impactful, strategic communications campaign to generate positive stories and thrust Nutra-Life Musseltone and Wagner Musselforte into the limelight. Our focus was firmly on credibility in order to convince consumers the product worked and would be of benefit to them. Trust and transparency were over-arching considerations in sourcing compelling spokespeople and case studies and drawing together relevant facts and background information to enable positive media outreach. Appropriate promotional activity was also utilised to extend the life of the campaign. Our three-pronged strategy to showcase the trustworthiness and efficacy of Biolane TM Active GLME involved: 1. Building the case Crossman reasoned that Newspoll research could elicit crucial information and statistics about the everyday Australians who experience some form of joint pain. We planned to use the key findings at the core of a comprehensive media kit to complement the scientific research of key spokesperson and product expert John E. Croft, internationally known as The Mussel Man. To maximise chances of mainstream media engaging with our key individuals we augmented Croft, a Briton based in New Zealand, with a well-known Australian whose lifestyle meant they would likely suffer from joint problems. Our product champion would trial the product, be quoted in our media collateral and undertake media interviews, providing sincere and authoritative endorsement. Case studies of archetypal Aussies were also generated to humanise the issue and tell a range of stories where appropriate. 2. Comprehensive media outreach Because we focused on trust issues, we were determined to offer the story idea to a prominent media outlet that prides itself on being an important voice for Australian consumers. We targeted A Current Affair to have first rights to an exclusive package as a veritable launch into other media, distributing a quality media kit to health, sports, men s, women s and lifestyle print, broadcast and digital media nationwide. 3. Promotional giveaways To extend the life of the campaign and control messaging as we endeavoured to overcome media sceptics and engage the public, we developed a series of consumer promotions in community newspapers, health magazines and websites. Regulatory constraints meant we could not give away the product, so we had to find a different way to deliver key messages whilst providing an appropriate incentive. We elected to find a relevant health or sport-related brand to provide the prize, without stealing the spotlight.

6 Implementation 1. Newspoll research Research was commissioned to quantify how many people feel pain and/or stiffness in their joints, how bad it is and whether they have discussed it with their doctor or sought treatment from a health professional. We found that 71% of Australian adults nationwide had experienced joint stiffness or pain when undertaking the most basic of everyday activities from exercising through to walking up stairs or even just bending over meaning that millions of Australians may be suffering regular joint stiffness and pain in silence without appreciating that a humble shellfish can help. 2. Spokespeople Appreciating the target audience, we enlisted Commonwealth Games double gold medallist and Olympian Jane Flemming to trial the product for 3-6 months, be quoted in the media kit and undertake interviews about Biolane TM Active GLME. Flemming was an inspired choice because our target audience could relate to the mother of two who struggled to lift her twin toddlers up because of a javelin injury and even found gardening difficult because of knee problems. Her endorsement carried significant weight. 3. Case studies We cold-called several health food shops around the country to track down suitable media-friendly case studies who had used the product with success. A Current Affair showcased a marvellous example, a woman whose hands were crippled by arthritis until she started taking Biolane TM Active GLME, allowing her to rekindle her passion for sewing. 4. Media kit The collateral Crossman developed focused on the world s foremost expert on the Green-Lipped Mussel, John E. Croft aka The Mussel Man, who pioneered the unique extraction technique that maintains the mollusc s anti-inflammatory properties. We documented the latest scientific research in laypeople s language and highlighted the quirky that NASA first discovered the magical mussel s power when searching for cancer cures back in the 1960s and the credible, led by Jane Flemming. The kit also included a fact sheet on Biolane TM Active GLME, how it was discovered, how it is made and dot points on the scientific research that has proved its mettle. 5. Media outreach A Current Affair essentially launched the campaign on 1 November 2010 with an exclusive announcement on the Newspoll study. They interviewed Jane Flemming about her trial of the product, went one-to-one with a remarkable case study subject and funded their own trip to a picturesque mussel farm in the pristine coastal waters of New Zealand to film and interview John E. Croft. The ACA story resonated deeply with Australians, who swamped message boards to find out more information and/or give their testimonials. The on-air item was quickly backed up by a string of radio interviews

7 and print coverage around the country, the majority with Flemming as the spokesperson. Amazingly, months later in 2011, Biolane TM Active GLME featured in two subsequent items on A Current Affair about emerging health trends, broadening the audience and reinforcing the credibility of the product. 6. Promotions To further engage consumers and extend the shelf life of the campaign, we partnered with Rebel Sport to co-ordinate a series of promotions in major community newspapers, consumer magazines and health websites, encouraging people to live active and healthy lifestyles by offering them a chance to win a Rebel Sport voucher. Each media outlet was impressed with the volume of entries.

8 Results The benefits of a clear strategy and good media relations are readily apparent in the exceptional results of the PR push. The positive stories generated have had a monumental impact on the sales of the two subbrands. November sales of Nutra-Life Musseltone were 697% above those in September prior to the campaign launch and sales of Wagner Musselforte were 471% higher than the optimistic forecast for November. Both sub-brands continue to report strong growth and Musseltone is now Nutra-Life s number one selling product in Australia. Evaluation The communications campaign for Biolane TM Active GLME was an unqualified success, overcoming credibility issues to blitz consumer trial and sales targets and encourage longterm use. Evaluation of Key Communications Objectives Measurable Objectives Result Performance Against Objective Achieve at least one major TV story such as A Current Affair or Today Tonight Achieve 100 media hits for Biolane TM Active GLME Achieve a known audience of at least 10 million Achieve a 100% increase in Musseltone sales Achieve initial sales targets for the new Musselforte brand Achieved three A Current Affair stories Significantly over-achieved television hits 106 positive media hits Over-achieved Effectively engaged 13,165,958 pairs of eyes November sales of Nutra-Life Musseltone were 697% above those in September prior to the campaign launch. Sales in the month following launch were 471% higher than the optimistic forecast Over-achieved by more than 3 million Over-achieved in phenomenal fashion. Dramatically over-achieved.