Allergan isn’t beating around the bush with its latest campaign for birth control Lo Loestrin Fe with bold ad copy like, “Morning sex doesn’t have to lead to morning sickness.”
The campaign, launched in June and developed with Publicis Groupe, is the latest candid birth control campaign from Allergan. The pharma company also launched an education campaign last year that tackled common questions about birth control with Saturday Night Live cast member Vanessa Bayer and another phase of that push with actress Shay Mitchell this month.
The Women Who Know campaign aims to “highlight the role of birth control in a relatable tone,” said Cindy Schwartz, associate VP of marketing at Allergan Women’s Healthcare.
“With the campaign, Allergan will bring Lo Loestrin Fe to the brand’s younger woman target across relevant media — TV, print, and digital — through humor, real-world scenarios, and a bold, impactful message that acknowledges their self-awareness,” Schwartz continued.
The ads show young women in everyday scenarios that remind them of their need for birth control, like waking up with their partner, going on a date, or running into a baby in the women’s bathroom.
Women Who Know tries to emulate thoughts of young women considering the pill with ads that read, “Right now they’d rather change a tampon than a diaper” and “What’s in your pill matters as much as what’s on your plate.”
“With so many different birth control options available, our research has shown us that women in our target audience typically turn to friends or family and ask about their experiences, prior to engaging their healthcare providers,” Schwartz said. “While a great starting place, advice from friends and family may not be always be accurate.”
The campaign is trying to reach young millennial women, 18 to 24, who are getting on the pill for the first time or trying birth control pills. Schwartz said these young millennials represent about half of the total prescription volume and are the fastest-growing demographic for the brand.
Allergan’s women’s health business was down 33% from last year in the first quarter, but Lo Loestrin was the biggest revenue driver, bringing in $114 million in the first quarter, a 14% increase over Q1 2017.
The campaign also tries to set Lo Loestrin apart from competitors by highlighting that it has the lowest dose of estrogen of any birth control.
The campaign is appearing in millennial- and women-focused outlets such as Refinery29, Instagram, Bravo!, HGTV, and Cosmopolitan. Schwartz expects to see a rise in new-to-brand patients because of the campaign.
“[The campaign is] encouraging women to be aware of the pill they are prescribed – the same way we’ve grown hyper aware of the foods that we eat, we also need to be aware of what’s in the pill, and how it can affect us,” Schwartz said.
