Credit: Media Words
Media Words has won the Fisherman's Friend media account and launched a campaign targeting younger consumers.
The 160-year-old brand, which produces five billion lozenges a year, wants to shake its perception as a product for older people. Research shows Australians see it as too strong and not for them.
Elise Hedley Dale, founder of Media Words, said the agency brought in creative partners The Reactor to develop the Friends with Benefits concept.
"I saw a chance to bend the message and take it somewhere unexpected,” she said.
“I tapped The Reactor, the creative partners I trust and they developed the 'Friends with Benefits' creative concept. That's the strength of Media Words: we bring in the right people, keep media and creative working hand in hand, and deliver work that stands out.”
The campaign positions the brand as delivering instant freshness through cheeky, playful messaging.
It uses influencer content across out-of-home formats including digital large format, static rail cross-track and rock posters, backed by digital and social.
Hedley Dale said combining influencer content with traditional out-of-home was deliberate.
Media Words handles influencer and content creation in-house to integrate social content into formats such as rock posters.
Sophie Leach from Stuart Alexander & Co, the Australian distributor, said brand awareness was high but purchase intent low.
"The challenge our brand is facing is recruiting the next generation of consumers. From our consumer research, brand awareness is high but the main reason Australians don't buy Fisherman's Friend is that they think it's a strong lozenge and a brand for older people," Leach said.
"We chose to partner with Media Words because they provided a digital forward approach and a modern media mix.
“The creative flexibility via the influencer-led storytelling is perfect for reshaping perceptions, a real opportunity to craft a breakthrough message and balance pull versus push in a more relatable way.
“It also gives us room to creatively reposition our Mint flavour without alienating current users."
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