parodontax (Corsodyl in the UK) is a brand specializing in gum disease; the world’s biggest oral health issue.

It’s a nasty infection caused by bacteria that penetrates the gum line. It affects one in three adults globally.

In developed countries, more people lose teeth through gum disease than cavities and tooth decay.

But the challenge is no one really cares about their gums. Teeth are the rock stars of oral care for the Instagram generation, gums if considered are at best the support act. In essence we are an oxymoron; a toothpaste for gums.

Previous work connected the initial symptom of gum disease - bleeding gums, to the inexorable deterioration of oral health. But our big challenge is stimulating action. To increase penetration we need to create an immediate need to act. That was our objective.

Gum disease starts with traces of blood when you brush your teeth. This is the body’s natural defence against the build-up of bacteria on the gum line.

But it’s an unfair fight. The bacteria is sticky, it attracts other bad bacteria (why people suffer from halitosis) builds up, hardens and eventually, overwhelmed, the body gives up the fight.

It cuts off the blood supply to the area, the gum recedes, exposing sensitive roots, the jaw bone around the teeth erodes, over time causing teeth to fall out.

In its early stage, known as gingivitis, it’s an addressable issue – the bacteria can be removed and the gums repair. But once it develops into periodontitis, the damage is permanent – and eventually teeth loosen and fall out.

From this deeper understanding we developed a powerful new idea - The ticking clock of gum disease.

Sufferers of early stage gum disease are younger than might be expected; there’s a huge incidence in 18-34 year olds - the product of burning the candle at both ends, less frequent dental visits, a laissez-faire attitude to diet. Precisely the audience of an urban listings magazine like Time Out.

But how could we get them to engage in their gums if all they cared about was making sure their teeth looked selfie ready?

Our strategy was to avoid the binary choice of teeth vs gums.

Instead we would push against an open door - linking gum disease to teeth, social confidence and hygiene - everything consumers already believe is important and worth protecting.

Bleeding gums? Over time it leads to tooth loss.

For print, the ideal was to partner with publications which were both culturally relevant, and hopefully played on the idea of Time. Our choice of Time Out magazine as a key partner, played into both these requirements. An instantly recognisable publication, with great reach across London.

The cover wrap ran for one day – each weekly edition of Time Out issued on a Tuesday. However, this cover wrap was already reinforcing the work we had done with this publication for the campaign including both FPS and DPS having run over the month beforehand.

The FPS and DPS had run in Time Out when we were live with OOH advertising for the same campaign, taking over London’s busiest commuter hub, Waterloo Station. The release of the cover wrap a month later, with such dense coverage throughout London, served as a secondary burst, reigniting the fire in people’s minds around our message.

Although the campaign is still ongoing, and still being measured, the sales figures to date show the impact that this campaign has had in the market. In the last week revenue has increased 9.2% on last year’s figures. The overall year to date revenue is up by 4.8% at the time of writing, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Whilst, in the year to date, the total Oral Care Category has seen a loss in sales of 1.7%, parodontax has bucked the trend, and has seen an increase in sales of 11.1.%.