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At launch, the anti-diarrhoeal Hidrasec was the first product in the UK to tackle the physiological cause of diarrhoea (over-production of fluid in the intestines), rather than just treating symptoms. It was also the first with a licence for use in children.

To communicate these key differentiators, we developed the campaign concept ‘control fluid, control diarrhoea’, driven by the product’s novel mode of action. This idea was delivered initially as a series of three print ads featuring children controlling toys rendered out of water using CGI.

To extend the idea and bring ‘control fluid’ to life, we built an interactive ‘invisible exhibit’, which allowed customers with an iPad to interact with the CGI water toys, using an augmented reality app. Messages attached at fixed points in space could be explored by walking around the exhibit, so customers could literally experience the ‘control fluid' effect for themselves.

To launch Hidrasec into the UK market as the first product licensed for the treatment of acute diarrhoea in infants and children. The target audience was primarily gastroenterologists, with a secondary audience in primary care.

Hidrasec is a prescription-only medicine. The client therefore insists that, should this entry receive an award, no aspect of the entry should be made public.

We worked with digital specialists Additive Studios to create CGI water models that could be rendered in real-time with realistic ripple and shimmer. At the same time, we designed a bespoke QR code for each toy, and set these on sleek white plinths. The codes triggered the augmented reality iPad app, making the toys appear as if hanging in space.

As a first-in-class entrant to a market that had seen very little activity for years, the sophisticated use of augmented reality helped to clearly establish a strong, rational positioning for the brand. With interactivity, the ‘control fluid’ idea – already worked as a strong call to action – became much more memorable.

The interactive exhibit ran at the Acute and General Medicine conference (London. 29-31 November 2012), and at the Clinical Pharmacy Congress (London, 26-27 April 2013).

The interactive exhibit was used twice during the product’s launch phase, and key events. No metrics are available.

Hidrasec’s key differentiator is its unique mode of action. Our ‘control fluid, control diarrhoea’ concept brought this to the forefront of the campaign, with an execution that delivered the paediatric positioning in a surprising, memorable way.

By using CGI to create the water toys, we made sure we could exploit other media to extend the idea, which we did with an interactive conference exhibit that enabled people to ‘control fluid’.

Hidrasec was the first anti-diarrhoeal drug to be licensed in the UK for use in infants and children over 3 months old. However, doctors were relatively uninterested in the condition, perceiving it as something that will eventually fix itself.

The challenge was to remind HCPs that acute diarrhoea is unpleasant, upsetting and disruptive, and to position Hidrasec as the first product that tackles its physiological cause (over-production of fluid in the intestines).