Category16.pdfGOLD AWARD
GSW Worldwide and Covidien
Tussicaps—Cap the Cough

Judges were awed and excited by the creativity and effectiveness of GSW Worldwide’s ads for Covidien’s Tussicaps cough medicine. The ads effectively illustrate the danger of inaccurate dosing, which can occur with bottled cough syrup, by showing cough syrup bottles with atypical tops—a pop-top, a sports top and a straw. Copy reinforces the message about accurate dosing with lines such as “Cough medicine this powerful should never be chugged, gulped or swigged.”

Judges thought the idea was fantastic and well executed. “Big, bold, surprising and effective,” noted one judge, adding that the ads inspired “a radical shift in mindset” about product packaging. Another judge called the creative “pretty startling for the Tussin class.” He loved the “big singular images,” and described the ads as “part public service, part branding, all good.”

The agency explained that recent FDA actions have confirmed that hydracodone cough syrups are powerful mediations that must be monitored and dosed correctly to insure patient safety. The agency’s own research provided further insights into the ways in which people tend to take cough syrup.

“Research showed us that patients and even doctors will ‘swig’ from the cough syrup bottle resulting in inaccurate dosing that could lead to dangerous side effects,” the agency said. “The strategy was to bring the idea of swigging from the bottle to life and reinforce the idea of how unsafe this can be.”

The ads achieved the goal of conveying that prescribing Tussicaps can be a safer option for both doctors and patients. The agency reports sales increases since the October 2008 campaign launch and a larger than anticipated market share gain.

SILVER AWARD
Cline Davis & Mann and Genentech
Lucentis 15 Letters

The agency used eye chart letters for headlines in these ads to illustrate that every letter counts in regard to eyesight. The challenge was to change the way docs measure treatment success for wet AMD, which deteriorates or destroys eyesight in aging patients. “Excellent strategy and compelling visuals,” noted one judge. Another called the ads “simply beautiful” and “brilliant.” Six months post-campaign, 52% of targeted docs reported that a gain of 15 letters was the most important measure of treatment efficacy for wet AMD patients.

From the November 02, 2009 Issue of MM+M - Medical Marketing and Media