Hedrin Protect & Go
Redefining accepted consumer behaviours
You’ll be pleased to learn that head lice treatment is no longer the eye-watering, chemical ordeal many of us remember from our childhood. Thornton & Ross have an impressive track record when it comes to launching category-redefining new brands; we’ve been working with them since 1997, and the introduction of Hedrin Protect & Go was no exception. We helped launch the Hedrin brand in 2006, supporting Thornton & Ross through several new Hedrin product launches since; providing initial conceptual advice, pack design and concept testing, right through to creative campaign development and delivery.
Changing behaviour Prevention not reaction
Because Hedrin Protect & Go was the first proactive treatment specifically for the prevention of head lice, we had to address and change accepted behaviours among the target audience, parents of children aged between four and 11 years.
We needed them to think more proactively about ‘protecting against’ head lice, rather than just applying a treatment once an infestation occurs.
We knew parents would be well aware of the risks of head lice, especially when their children mingle with other youngsters in school or at play. We had to tap into the basic instinct to control the risks and environment around their offspring, while encouraging the audience to challenge basic assumptions about the traditionally reactive nature of head lice treatment.
Communicating A better way
This integrated campaign would feature TV, digital and trade press promotion, and grab attention by portraying the result of an overzealous mother going to ridiculous lengths to protect her children from lice. The embarrassing items of headwear inflicted on her children as a result would give all facets of the campaign an immediately recognisable look and feel, and deliver the brand message in a resonant, memorable way.
'Parents in the know, Protect & Go’, says the strapline. It taps into the parents-at-the-school-gate chatter, highlighting the main campaign message that, yes, you can put the rubber-glove-hat away, there’s now a much more effective way to think about guarding against head lice.
The TV spot was scheduled to run in two bursts, once in August and September to coincide with the back-to-school period, then again in October and November as schools broke up for half term.
TV and trade press would be supported by digital search and display activity across key parenting websites and display networks. We also separately promoted an e-magazine, with additional content that built on the original creative with a series of four short videos, pulling the recognisable brand visuals into an interactive branded experience.
The Result
The campaign delivered a clear sales uplift, with Hedrin Protect & Go taking a 5% market-share over first four weeks of the promotion *. Search and display delivered almost 30,000 visits to the hedrin.co.uk website over the course of the activity.
Sales of the whole Hedrin range are up year-on-year as a result of the activity*, meaning the brand has not only retained, but bolstered its overall position as the market’s leading brand.
Caroline Wheeler, Marketing Manager at Thornton & Ross, said: “We have always valued Bray Leino’s creative approach and the campaign ‘Parents in the Know Protect & Go’ resonated from day one”.
Source: * IRI data