Starcom SA awards for dunhill Fragrances and Beechies media strategies

Challenged by Procter & Gamble to conceptualise a media strategy to reignite the dunhill Fragrances' British Heritage positioning, increase sales by 10% in the 2008 Christmas shopping season, and expand the brand user-base with more younger consumers buying into the brand, Starcom S A media strategist Ilsa Gräbe compiled a powerful, award-winning, mixed-media campaign strategy.

The bronze-award campaign comprised a Mini and FHM campaign partnership, which culminated in a branded Mini Cooper giveaway. The key communication elements spanned print advertorials, interactive online, electronic newsletters, mall centre-court displays, interactive mobile, events and in-store activations all calling on the targeted consumers to participate. A focussed, single-minded strategy ran through each touch point, using icons symbolising All things British.

The campaign concluded in an exclusive event, themed as a British game show, where the winner of the Mini was announced. To generate additional, viral, publicity, Starcom SA ensured the event was covered by local celebrity web sites and social networking sites.

Post-campaign analysis revealed a 30% sales increase in the brand over three months; 150% industry average results from interactive elements; and 46% added value media exposure generated - all contributing to the satisfactory revival of the British Brand Equity pillar.

Beechies

Starcom SA was awarded a finalist award for their Beechies Chewing Gum media strategy. The media challenge was to reposition the product to the younger LSM 5-7-target market.

The campaign included the use of several out-of-home touch points, encouraging brand engagement by active teenage girls. The campaign allowed the brand to become mobile and to connect with the target market in safe environments, shared with circles of friends through radio, branded cabs and the use of Mxit.

Post-campaign results proved awareness amongst teenage girls increased by 18%. The Safe Cab promotions generated over 50,000 calls and Mxit's platform generated a 96% uptake of virtual packs of the brand's gum, (27 835 packs). These were digitally shared tenfold, amplifying brand engagement and ultimately connecting with 285 000 young ladies.

The Internationalist Awards for Media Innovation are designed to showcase international examples of best practices as media takes a leadership role in the complex world of media strategy.