Insight
Canesten is a product for vaginal infections. This is a young category in Mexico, regarding how comfortable brands feel talking about this subject in mass media. Usage itself may generate negative connotations among relatives and friends. “You need it because you are quite ‘easy-going’”, “you have not enough hygiene”, etc.
Lomecan (by far the leader in the category) has softened the subject by creating a communication directed towards the “Good Girls” (eliminating negative connotations), using a much more fresh and nice tone in the messaging. Canesten, on the contrary, had been traditionally associated for mature women, communicating in a more “medical” tone.
Thus, Canesten was losing share of market, even as it is a proven quality product, approved by mature women and mums.
Strategy
The strategy was based on the insight that the emotional impact of vaginal infections is much more troublesome than the infection itself. When you have the problem, it is quite a tragedy. And every girl's dream is for it to disappear at once.
And Canesten could offer it. To eradicate the problem in one shot.
Execution
Instant Dreams: What if my dream (of getting rid of the infection) happened instantly? What if dreams such as this came true instantly?
Through the Canesten Day School Tour, in various colleges, the brand showed them how they could attain their dreams instantly:
• Become a rockstar by recording only one song: Set a radio studio in which they sang their favorite songs.
• Achieving a model body with just one gym session: Set a micro gym in which they could work out for one or two minutes. Enough time for an artist to draw the way he looked at them (and they always showed gorgeous bodies on these drawings)
• Being a “cover girl” by only one photoshoot: Set a photo studio in which they could pose for the camera and receive an image of a fake magazine cover with their image.
• Eradicate the infection with one application: Apply Canesten.
The agency organised music concerts at the college with bands known by the target, sponsored by Canesten to increase awareness and engagement.
It also placed a module with a sex expert so girls could approach and solve questions. Also conferences with the sex expert (no boys allowed, to help boost confidence).
As college authorities valued the importance on the subject for their students, PHD convinced them on making this a free day, so girls could fully commit to sexual consciousness and achieving their dreams.
All of this was amplified through social networks (Facebook) and videos about intimal hygiene (YouTube). It was supported with Open & Paid TV, radio (spots and live broadcast from the concerts).
Results
Instant Dreams made the dreams instantly come true: instant increase in Share of Market (from 50.15 Share of Market in September to 61 SOM in December.
After watching the success of the campaign, the third competitor (“Candhipen V”) modified its communication to highlight their one-application effect (but consumers continued associating it with the Canesten brand!)