Strepsils: RADIO PRODUCT PLACEMENT

Credits & Description:

Category: Best Use of Audio

Advertiser: RECKITT BENCKISER

Product/Service: STREPSILS

Agency: EARDRUM AUSTRALIA

Date of First Appearance: Feb 9 2011

Entrant Company: EARDRUM AUSTRALIA, Sydney, AUSTRALIA

Creative Director: Ralph van Dijk (Eardrum)

Copywriter: Cal Nichols (Eardrum)

Producer: Lesley Chambers (Eardrum)

Assitant Brand Manager: Christine Low (Reckitt Benckiser)

Catergory Marketing Manager: Stuart Witherby (Reckitt Benckiser)

Media placement: Radio Product Placement - Talk Back Programs - Radio Station 2GB - 9th February 2011

Media placement: Radio Product Placement - Talk Back Programs - Radio Station 2GB - 15th February 2011

Media placement: Radio Product Placement - Talk Back Programs - Radio Station 2SM - 25th February 2011

Media placement: Radio Product Placement - Talk Back Programs - Radio Station 2SM - 25th March 2011



Insights, Strategy & the Idea

Our objective was to support Strepsils traditional TV and radio advertising campaign through a series of live, subtle product mentions on radio stations which target a 40+ audience. These would reinforce the campaign theme which encourages consumers to take Strepsils at the first sign of a sore throat.

Strepsils is a very well known brand amongst this audience and has traditionally been used to treat sever sore throats once they have set in. However, if taken earlier they will stop a sore throat developing.

The older listeners to Talkback stations are not easily influenced by traditional advertising. However they are influenced by their peers and the opinions they hear on their favourite talkback radio stations. These opinions are expressed by the presenters and the callers.



Creative Execution

The traditional TV and radio spot campaign targeted the younger audience, and we were able to reach the more elusive mature audience through a subtle, yet subversive marketing campaign which communicated to the huge audiences generated by the four main Sydney talkback radio stations. Our method was to use actors, posing as legitimate callers, instructed to casually drop Strepsils into their conversation with the host, they cleared their throat a few times, mentioned that they have a sore throat coming on and take a Strepsils, before continuing with the call. Some of the calls last a couple of minutes but that is what makes them so authentic, in fact a few of the hosts even picked up on the sore throat reference and ran with it themselves. Including John Laws, Australia's most respected and experienced talk back host.



Results and Effectiveness

This is a world first so we were not sure what to expect. The project was executed so close to the Awards deadline, sales figures are not yet available, however the 'Treat Early with Strepsils' message reached a combined 40+ audience of over 2 million listeners in Sydney alone, with zero media dollars spent.



At the time of writing, the Strepsils campaign is receiving further exposure. The story was broken by online media magazine (Mumbrella) and radio stations have since replayed highlights and interviewed the Agency's Creative Director.



Needless to say, this cheeky gorilla campaign is exceeding the client's expectations.