GlaxoSmithKline and Weber Shandwick
Taste Test Drive with Nicorette
Quitting smoking is hard — ask anyone who’s tried. And it doesn’t help that more people are vaping, fueling the growing misconception that cigarette alternatives are smoking-cessation products.
Nicorette wanted its new Nicorette Coated Ice Mint Lozenge to be part of the quit journey for the nation’s 34.4 million smokers. The formula, the first innovation in the category in 10 years, makes managing cravings more enjoyable.
Nicorette knows that advice from former smokers who have successfully quit is the most powerful way to connect, and also that driving is one of the top craving triggers. So it tapped Dale Earnhardt Jr., former smoker and NASCAR legend, as a spokesperson. He invited smokers to take Nicorette on a Taste Test Drive. The campaign had deep digital roots, with a video featured online and in social media.
Content included Dale’s Story, a genuine testimonial about Earnhardt’s experience smoking and ultimately quitting. It also offered the Taste Test Drive, where Earnhardt surprises cousin Danny Jr. and an unsuspecting NASCAR fan, both starting their quit journeys with Nicorette. It also used Earnhardt’s social channels to pulse content, generating tremendous engagement across his fan base.
Offline, Earnhardt brought his personal story and the Nicorette Coated Ice Mint Lozenge to high-impact consumer, sports, lifestyle and business media.
Since the launch of the Taste Test Drive, total Nicorette Lozenge consumption increased 11.4% in a relatively flat category, and one major drug retailer reports that more than 50% of new Nicorette lozenge buyers are new to the category.
Judges love the way this $2 million campaign paid off. “So impressive. So smart,” one judge said.
Sponsor: AbelsonTaylor
