Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation?

The Durex “Always Come Prepared” campaign addressed a developing calamity in public health – unprecedented rise in Philippine – in the face of steep downtrend in global figures – with those affected predominantly young. To address this threat, none was more role-appropriate than Durex, makers of the world’s number one condom brand. In its utilization of multi-media, online channels and social media, as well as a reach-out component that engaged thousands of young adults, the campaign helped bring attention to the issue while disseminating helpful information and promoting the use of condoms as a readily available solution.

Describe any restrictions or regulations regarding Healthcare/RX/Pharma communications in your country/region including:

Here in the Philippines, it is the Food and Drug Administration or FDA that is responsible for the regulation of drugs, medical devices, food, cosmetics and toy, and Household/Urban Hazardous substances including the monitoring of product advertisements and promotions “to check compliance with existing guidelines on medical and nutritional claims.”

Describe the target audience and why your work is relevant to them.

Patient The campaign is primarily geared towards young adults aged 15 to 24 and sexually active; those who are likely to engage in sexual activities for the first time; while aiming to reach as many members of the general public to raise the awareness on HIV and condom

Background

The Durex “Always Come Prepared” campaign addressed a developing calamity in public health – unprecedented rise in Philippine – in the face of steep downtrend in global figures – with those affected predominantly young. To address this threat, none was more role-appropriate than Durex, makers of the world’s number one condom brand. In its utilization of multi-media, online channels and social media, as well as a reach-out component that engaged thousands of young adults, the campaign helped bring attention to the issue while disseminating helpful information and promoting the use of condoms as a readily available solution.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

To make a positive impact on the grim numbers surrounding HIV in the country, Durex rolled out a multi-pronged campaign—tongue-in-cheek yet relevant—that amplified the message of protecting one’s self from the threat of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. The campaign’s tagline “Always Come Prepared” was graphically represented by a quirky visual of a toy soldier using a condom as a parachute – wittily depicting the condom as a reliable and effective safety measure against HIV and other STDs. – The playful visual and double innuendo of the tagline made the campaign much more relatable and digestible for the target audience and the public. It made the issue more relevant and fascinating without alienating or sounding judgmental, inviting open and candid yet did not alienate or sound judgmental.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

The campaign is primarily geared towards young adults aged 15 to 24 and sexually active. While the threat of HIV knows no boundaries, socio-economic brackets, and gender, the aforementioned audience comprises the largest portion of those who are infected by the virus. Also targeted in the campaign are those who are likely to engage in sexual activities for the first time. For this campaign, the UNAIDS in the Philippines, Love Yourself, and a slew of medical experts were tapped. This created a diverse team of varied backgrounds and capacities who shared the same dedication in pursuing an advocacy that would help curb the HIV infection in the country. As well, the trio of Boys Night Out—known for their witty word plays, sexual innuendos, and popularity with young adults—were made part as campaign ambassadors, owing also to their popular weekday radio show and strong following on social media platforms.

Describe the execution (30% of vote)

The campaign had a fruitful 3-month initial run. To bring the campaign to a larger segment of the target audience, it was simultaneously rolled out on the social media platforms of Durex, while a press launch introduced the campaign to members of media from publishing, broadcast, and online news sites was staged. Aside from unveiling the campaign and its quirky visuals and tagline, the press launch also gave a sobering insight on just how bad the situation is in the country when it comes to HIV infections. This was subsequently followed by the campus tours, where town hall sessions were successfully held in succession at the several major universities all over Metro Manila and Baguio. Here, HIV talks, sample distribution with HIV facts, and voluntary HIV tests were conducted. Meanwhile, an equally effective call center activation activity was held in partnership with Teleperformance, thereby reaching call center employees.

List the results (30% of vote)

The multi-pronged approach used in the implementation of the program proved to be effective in meeting, and even surpassing the goals and objectives set at the start of the campaign. The campaign reached a total of 5,000 students in 6 schools: University of the Philippines, Diliman, Far Eastern University, the Ateneo University, Lyceum of the Philippines University, St. Louis University in Baguio and National University. Activations in 20 offices of Teleperformance reached 40,76 employees. A total of 45,000 samples were distributed during the course of the campaign. Durex stood out as the premier advocate in the fight against HIV in the country, with the campaign generating a total of P10.1 million worth of media values (based on standard ad rates), or a total of P30.4 million worth of PR values. As well, during the three-month run of Always Come Prepared, the market share of Durex increased by 912 basis points.