Canesten is the leading global brand in women’s intimate health. Vaginal Yeast Infection (VYI) is their core category being the number 1 OTC brand. The goal of its Gyno-Canesbalance campaign was to expand their footprint into adjacent categories namely Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) and increase this pathology awareness.

Although BV prevalence is the most common vaginal infection among women in childbearing age, only 30% of women have heard of it (whilst 97% state they know what VYI is). Most women don’t know the differences between both infections and there is a lot of confusion.

First line treatment is antibiotics, while there is a growing trend to reduce their intake. Thus, the OTC BV category is underdeveloped, sufferers either default to doctor or try to relieve odour with intimate washes.

We presented a modern mermaid as an influencer to raise awareness towards the hallmark symptom of bacterial vaginosis, which is a fishy smell coming from the vagina. Using a mermaid, who obviously smells like fish, we could talk about the symptom unapologetically, in a very fresh and straight way.

Canesten is the leading global brand in Women’s Intimate Health. With Gyno-Canesbalance its goal is expanding into categories like Bacterial Vaginosis (BV), which has a high incidence rate but low condition awareness.

The hallmark symptom of BV is a fishy unpleasant odour. Finding out how to treat can sometimes be difficult. Only 4% of sufferers seek treatment because they want to avoid an embarrassing conversation.

With this campaign we raised awareness towards the main symptom and provided sufferers with relevant information to understand what they have, to be reassured it is not serious, and to get rid of the symptoms.

To convey this sensible advice, we created the perfect influencer for Gyno-Canesbalance; a mermaid. Because no one knows more about fishy smell down there. With her expertise we could talk unapologetically about the symptoms of vaginal flora imbalance and how to treat it.

We open on a set and discover a modern mermaid who introduces herself to the camera, as influencers usually do to their followers. She speaks with a lot of confidence. The mermaid tells you, in a very straight way, that of course her tail smells like fish, but that if you smell fishy down there too, that's a symptom of bacterial vaginosis. The mermaid goes on to tell you that this happens when the vaginal flora becomes unbalanced, and the harmful bacteria grow. And very honestly, she tells you that it will keep smelling even if you wash. So, the best thing to do -she suggests- is to treat it with Gyno-Canesbalance, because not all women are made to smell fishy down there and you don't have to. Then, she says goodbye.

In the first week;

+ 27% brand mentions

+1M € in earned media. In previous campaigns, the earned media had been 0€.

The campaign has just recently been launched in Portugal, in YouTube, on early April, with 552.901 impressions, +120K views and the objective to reach the 5% of its target.

Shortly, it will be launched in European countries such as Spain, Netherlands or Belgium.