As a category leader at the height of its success, Nicorette had typically focused communications on promoting various new, innovative nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products. Following a major reappraisal of its consumer insight, the brand took the radical decision to totally change its communications model to ensure long term success.

Nicorette was facing three threats:

• A lack of category differentiation

• Negative medicinal connotations

• Perceived better alternatives

Our objectives were challenging;

• Differentiate Nicorette, whilst also normalising the NRT category

• Evolve the brand from being perceived as purely medicinal

• Broaden its appeal in the face of growing competition from e-cigarettes

Our insight-inspired solution was radical:

Transform a medicinal 'problem' brand into an emotional, celebratory solution;

• Reframing how people feel about quitting from a sense of loss to a sense of gain

• Reframing brand associations from a brand solving a problem to an empowering brand

• Giving quitters a vision of success rather than focusing on the struggle.

One year into the campaign, Russia has seen a total value sales uplift of 41.4%, growing to +61% during the campaign period vs 2013. Since the UK launch, sales of the flagship Quickmist product have increased 44%.

The ‘Do Something Amazing’ campaign first launched in Russia in Jan 2013, the key quit period, supported by print, Out Of House, radio and digital. Nicorette sponsored a bicycle race on ‘No tobacco day’ in June to bring the idea to life, running a second burst of TV in July to maintain momentum outside peak season.

In the UK, the strategy of our media planning partner, MEC, was to launch in the key pre-quit period across TV, VOD, Digital, Out of Home and Press to maximize impact and establish the new positioning prior to the most popular quit-time in January.

On TV we launched with 260 TVRs. To gain incremental reach to the AV plan, we planned a VOD presence serving 2,882,201 impressions. This strand was further up weighted around Boxing Day; a key time for most people to start considering New Year’s resolutions, and typically, a family time at home.

The UK Millward Brown Link test results were ‘outstanding’ with an 81% likelihood that the TV ad would increase short-term sales. End-line testing provided us with verbatim about its success.

The TV ad struck exactly the emotional chord we planned for, with a statistically significant volume of respondents claiming it left them feeling ‘confident’ (+57% vs +34% norm), ‘inspired’ (+61% vs +33% norm) and ‘proud’ (+31% vs +17% norm) and it achieved a Millward Brown ‘Feel good factor’ or plus 43 vs a UK online norm of 31.

One year into the campaign, Russia has seen a total value sales uplift of 41.4% and grew to +61% during the campaign period vs 2013

Since launch in the UK, sales of the flagship Quickmist product have increased 44%. In addition there has been:

• 22,000 Nicorette searches per week

• QuickMist searches +30%

• 45% uplift in Nicorette.co.uk traffic

• QuickMist volume +41.3%(data based on first 4 weeks in Dec, IRI14 w/e 21Dec, 13)