Best TV Advertising Campaign of 2016

In just six weeks, more than 50% of blood thinner Pradaxa's target audience had become aware of the Redfish campaign.

Tanya Lewis

October 6, 2016

11:30 pm

GOLD

GSW New York and Boehringer Ingelheim

Pradaxa Redfish

When Pradaxa launched in 2010, it was the first new blood thinner to market in 50 years, but competing brands largely overshadowed (it had just 7% share of voice) and far outspent it. Last year’s approval of a reversal agent companion treatment provided an opportunity to relaunch the brand and gain some ground.

Research showed that competitors were failing to educate patients or form an emotional connection. So GSW Worldwide developed a radically different approach for the category — simplicity — to reach Pradaxa’s target audience.

The Redfish ad uses CGI fish swimming through a glass circulatory system as a simple metaphor for how blood cells can cause a stroke in people with atrial fibrillation, commonly called AFib. The highly minimalist visual style is gorgeous and perfectly aligned with the goal of telling the product story in an easily understandable way. Judges thought it was brilliant.

“Use of the likable red fish is a great, simple analogy that helps educate patients about reducing their risks, and it’s a nice change from the other advertising in the space featuring mostly male actors or celebrities,”
one judge said.

In just six weeks, more than 50% of the brand’s target audience had become aware of the Redfish campaign.

SILVER

FCB Health and Allergan/Ironwood Pharmaceuticals

Tell Me Something I Don’t Know (Linzess)

Judges loved the clever use of a stop-motion technique to show that Linzess can provide hope and relief to patients who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome with constipation or chronic idiopathic constipation.

“The insight into patient frustration was good, and the execution is arresting and creative,” one judge noted.