Synergy Pharma and Area 23
Toilet Books
Not many new-product campaigns can claim they’ve been inspired by William Shakespeare or Herman Melville. But Synergy enchanted our judges with its beautiful and highly effective campaign focused on raising awareness about chronic idiopathic constipation.
Gastroenterologists and primary-care physicians often dismiss the condition as garden-variety constipation. They advise patients to drink more water or use OTC laxatives. But they don’t understand that this type of constipation is far more debilitating, affecting as many as 35 million people. They can spend up to 10 hours per week trying to go to the bathroom — long enough to read a 300-page book. Synergy wanted providers to realize the impact CIC has on quality of life. They tried to encourage them to be more sympathetic and reconsider the use of prescription drugs.
To reach these providers, Synergy had rolls of 180-foot toilet paper printed with six classic works of literature, such as Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Melville’s Moby Dick. Other titles, all in the public domain, include 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Invisible Man and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. It commissioned original covers, too, turning each roll of TP into a stunning visual representation of just how many hours patients lose due to untreated constipation.
The materials also included an invitation to an upcoming advisory board meeting held by Synergy, where the company would discuss the real impact of CIC and alternative treatment options. Toilet Books converted into a crucial lead-generation tactic for the upcoming launch of Synergy’s CIC treatment brand, Trulance.
Sponsor: Calcium
