The goals of this campaign were quite simple. Given that most sanitary napkin users base their purchase on the functional quality of the product, it was essential for the Whisper target audience to understand and believe in the functional merits of the new Whisper Neo line. In this sense, communication objectives focused on relaying product benefit messages and putting product samples in the hands of the target to get them to experience the quality of the product.

The goals of this campaign were quite simple. Given that most sanitary napkin users base their purchase on the functional quality of the product, it was essential for the Whisper target audience to understand and believe in the functional merits of the new Whisper Neo line. In this sense, communication objectives focused on relaying product benefit messages and putting product samples in the hands of the target to get them to experience the quality of the product.

Deriving a solution for the communication challenges posed by the launch of a new feminine care product line began by considering insights regarding the feminine care products category. Generally speaking, this was a low involvement category – women simply do not respond to a feminine care advertisement like they would to a colour cosmetics advertisement. Furthermore, given the personal nature of feminine care it was critical that the message was delivered in a private, women-only setting where the target audience would feel no aversion to receiving and interacting with the campaign message. In this sense, there was a need to select contact points that would provide the intimate communication platform that would ultimately allow for the in-depth and one-on-one communication that this low involvement category requires.With this criteria in mind the following vehicles were selected: magazines, ad card, mobile internet browser phones, standard PC internet, and the restroom advertising network.

And with this media mix the following executions were implemented:First, a Whisper Neo website to host the Neo promotional campaign was launched for both PC internet and i-Mode phones, a widely-used mobile phone service with internet browsing capabilities. The websites served as a campaign headquarters where the audience was able to browse through product information and general feminine care tips as well as register for cash-back promotions and free on-line game content. Secondly, to drive traffic to these websites, an announcement of the Neo campaign with URLs listings were included in the above mentioned media executions. The magazine execution, leveraged key women’s titles, capturing the magazine-reading audience, PC and i-Mode internet were used for banner ad executions on women’s sites, and to add an out-of-home component, ad posters, sample boxes and ad cards were placed in the restrooms of approximately 100 trendy restaurants, bars, and cafes as a part of the restroom ad initiative. The end result is a multiple contact point campaign that reaches audiences in situations where the target is alone with the brand message. While the media ideas that were employed in this campaign are the reason why this campaign should be a winner, this idea would not have become a reality had it not been for the media team. Indeed, the media team played a key role in identifying the variety of conventional and unconventional media vehicles that made up the basis of this highly personalised, intimate communications initiative. Additionally, in the case of the restroom execution, the media team was involved in the actual development of the concept. Although this was not the first time the idea of restroom advertising been employed, it was still a relatively new and undeveloped idea. In this way, the media team, in conjunction with a third party vendor, worked to enhance the concept to better meet the campaign objectives and specifically added sampling stations and more execution locations to the network of restroom spaces. First and foremost, this entry deserves special consideration because it provided an effective media solution to a campaign that required communications to be undertaken under specific conditions. While the usage of unconventional advertising spaces such as restrooms seems somewhat odd, it reflects the need to deliver the brand message in a relevant environment. In this sense, considering the criteria – intimacy, women only, personal – the use of restroom space was indeed appropriate and effective as it allowed for the delivery of the brand message in a private setting. Furthermore, additions such as sampling stations in the restrooms allowed for the target to try the product without feeling awkward about receiving a sample in a public area. In essence, the combination of restroom advertising and the other personal media creates a psychological comfort zone for the target audience, making it easier for the target to interact with brand messages such as Whisper’s. The effectiveness of this idea is seen through the results of the campaign: sample distribution goals were met in only one month, and over 60,000 website visitors registered for the prize giveaway promotions. Indeed the campaign passed the ultimate test; the client intends to adopt this strategy for future initiatives.

While the media ideas that were employed in this campaign are the reason why this campaign should be a winner, this idea would not have become a reality had it not been for the media team. Indeed, the media team played a key role in identifying the variety of conventional and unconventional media vehicles that made up the basis of this highly personalised, intimate communications initiative. Additionally, in the case of the restroom execution, the media team was involved in the actual development of the concept. Although this was not the first time the idea of restroom advertising been employed, it was still a relatively new and undeveloped idea. In this way, the media team, in conjunction with a third party vendor, worked to enhance the concept to better meet the campaign objectives and specifically added sampling stations and more execution locations to the network of restroom spaces.

First and foremost, this entry deserves special consideration because it provided an effective media solution to a campaign that required communications to be undertaken under specific conditions. While the usage of unconventional advertising spaces such as restrooms seems somewhat odd, it reflects the need to deliver the brand message in a relevant environment. In this sense, considering the criteria – intimacy, women only, personal – the use of restroom space was indeed appropriate and effective as it allowed for the delivery of the brand message in a private setting. Furthermore, additions such as sampling stations in the restrooms allowed for the target to try the product without feeling awkward about receiving a sample in a public area. In essence, the combination of restroom advertising and the other personal media creates a psychological comfort zone for the target audience, making it easier for the target to interact with brand messages such as Whisper’s. The effectiveness of this idea is seen through the results of the campaign: sample distribution goals were met in only one month, and over 60,000 website visitors registered for the prize giveaway promotions. Indeed the campaign passed the ultimate test; the client intends to adopt this strategy for future initiatives.

Deriving a solution for the communication challenges posed by the launch of a new feminine care product line began by considering insights regarding the feminine care products category. Generally speaking, this was a low involvement category – women simply do not respond to a feminine care advertisement like they would to a colour cosmetics advertisement. Furthermore, given the personal nature of feminine care it was critical that the message was delivered in a private, women-only setting where the target audience would feel no aversion to receiving and interacting with the campaign message. In this sense, there was a need to select contact points that would provide the intimate communication platform that would ultimately allow for the in-depth and one-on-one communication that this low involvement category requires.With this criteria in mind the following vehicles were selected: magazines, ad card, mobile internet browser phones, standard PC internet, and the restroom advertising network.

And with this media mix the following executions were implemented:First, a Whisper Neo website to host the Neo promotional campaign was launched for both PC internet and i-Mode phones, a widely-used mobile phone service with internet browsing capabilities. The websites served as a campaign headquarters where the audience was able to browse through product information and general feminine care tips as well as register for cash-back promotions and free on-line game content. Secondly, to drive traffic to these websites, an announcement of the Neo campaign with URLs listings were included in the above mentioned media executions. The magazine execution, leveraged key women’s titles, capturing the magazine-reading audience, PC and i-Mode internet were used for banner ad executions on women’s sites, and to add an out-of-home component, ad posters, sample boxes and ad cards were placed in the restrooms of approximately 100 trendy restaurants, bars, and cafes as a part of the restroom ad initiative. The end result is a multiple contact point campaign that reaches audiences in situations where the target is alone with the brand message.

Koichi Terauchi   Media Executive   Starcom JapanJulie Raddon   Communications Director   Starcom Japan