Campaign Summary

The throat lozenge brand Valda utilized its limited budget for a memorable subway performance which drove brand awareness and sales in Canada.

Strategy

Objective

Valda's "Heavy Metal Subway" campaign had a dual strategic objective: to increase brand awareness and drive regional sales. The goal was to boost Valda's brand recognition through a memorable advertising moment, evaluated based on global reach and impressions across media channels.

Additionally, the campaign aimed to challenge age-related platform stereotypes. Demographic data from TikTok was analyzed to assess reach and engagement across various age segments. Cost efficiency was crucial, with metrics like cost per video completed (CPVC) and cost per click (CPC) used for evaluation.

By aligning objectives and measuring against key performance indicators, the campaign successfully evaluated its achievements in brand awareness, sales, engagement, market share, demographic reach, and cost efficiency.

Context

Prior to Valda's campaign, the company had no media presence in Canada while its competitors continued to stay active with digital investments from 2020 onwards. The lack of previous media presence along with a limited media budget for this campaign required Valda to be intentional and focused when delivering a media experience that could amplify strong creative assets and be assessed effectively.

Target Audience

The campaign's target audience consisted of adults aged 18 to 65, both male and female, primarily in Quebec, Canada. This audience had a health-conscious mindset and was actively seeking remedies for throat irritation, coughs, and colds. Valda was also looking to reach out to public transport users. Cultural factors were also considered, reaching both French- and English-speaking audiences within Quebec.

Creative and Media Strategy

Valda's creative and media strategies were integrated to effectively engage its audience. The subway stunt's surprise element and humor aligned with the media strategy, leveraging TV, radio, and TikTok for broad reach. TikTok reached both younger and older demographics. As results came in, Valda's strategy adapted, optimizing engagement tactics on TikTok. Additionally, the choice of TikTok in different markets helped challenge platform stereotypes, ensuring the campaign resonated with diverse audiences while remaining cost-effective.

Execution/Use of Media

The execution of the campaign played a pivotal role in achieving results by leveraging a disruptive subway stunt, involving a heavy metal choir, The Growler Choir, and utilizing TikTok's interactive features. The campaign allocated a significant portion of the budget (50 percent) to mobile and digital media (TikTok) to maximize engagement, targeting both younger and older demographics effectively. This choice was a nod to the platform's cost-effectiveness and reach. The overall campaign budget was C$5,000, and it was allocated strategically to optimize impact and return on investment (ROI) while aligning with campaign objectives.

The channel and enabling technology were seamlessly integrated into the overall marketing strategy, showcasing the campaign's creativity and sophistication. The use of TikTok as a primary channel was particularly innovative. It allowed the campaign to bridge generational gaps effectively, challenging stereotypes about the platform's user demographics. TikTok's interactive Super Like 2.0 feature was leveraged to direct users to the Valda website, creating a seamless user journey and driving engagement.

Overall, the campaign's integration of TikTok as an enabling technology showcased its adaptability and creativity in utilizing digital platforms to bridge generational divides and deliver a campaign that resonated with a wide and diverse audience.

Business Impact

The campaign achieved its objectives and demonstrated significant impact:

• Brand Awareness. The campaign successfully enhanced Valda's brand awareness, reaching over one million TV viewers, 81,000 radio listeners, and more than 1.9 million online viewers. These numbers reflected the campaign's effectiveness in increasing brand recognition.
• Sales Growth. The campaign generated impressive sales results, with data from Jean Coutu pharmacy chain indicating a remarkable 101 percent increase in December 2022 compared to the previous year. Moreover, there was a notable 75 percent year-over-year sales lift between 2021 and 2022.
• Engagement and Reach. The campaign effectively engaged a wide range of demographics on TikTok, including both younger and older audiences. This challenged stereotypes about platform usage. The interactive Super Like 2.0 feature drove meaningful engagement, including likes, comments, shares, and clicks to the Valda website.
• Cost Efficiency. The campaign outperformed expectations in terms of cost efficiency, achieving an impressive 67 percent lower-than-benchmark cost per video completed (CPVC).

The campaign's success had a significant impact on future utilization within the business. It showcased the effectiveness of leveraging digital platforms like TikTok to reach diverse demographics cost-effectively. This experience encouraged the brand to continue exploring innovative digital marketing strategies.

The success in Quebec prompted Valda to consider expanding into other Canadian regions and markets.

The campaign stood out with its blend of traditional and digital channels, a surprising subway stunt, and interactive technology, breaking away from traditional health care advertising.