Cough remedy Helixia has partnered with Bell Media Mix on a new TV and out-of-home campaign intended to differentiate its naturally sourced products in a tough category.
The campaign is intended to raise awareness of the one-year-old brand, which competes in a crowded, highly competitive category against established products such as Benilyn and Robitussin.
Helixia’s 2012 launch was supported primarily by print and web advertising, but didn’t achieve the awareness levels the company hoped for, said Isabelle Vézina, senior director of marketing for Pendopharm, the division of Montreal-based Pharmascience that controls the Helixia brand.
Created by Bell Media Mix in association with ZenithOptimedia Canada and Zed Graphic Communications, the six-week Quebec-based campaign broke Nov. 18 and targets women with children under the age of 12. Its goal is to promote Helixia as a safe and effective treatment option for young children.
The campaign includes a pair of 30-second TV spots featuring Katrine Paradis, a mom and host of the new Canal Vie show Un Petit Gateau a la Fois. Paradis was selected for her ongoing community involvement, particularly her longstanding involvement with Montreal’s Saint-Justine Hospital.
The spots feature Paradis offering parents tips on how to help their children avoid picking up viruses and positions Helixia as a safe treatment option. “This is someone who does a lot of philanthropy and we thought she was a good fit with our brand,” said Vézina.
If the TV-led campaign is successful, it will be rolled out nationally next year, said Vézina.
The commercials, which represent Helixia’s first-ever foray into TV, will run on Canal Vie, Canal D, Séries+ and Musimax, as well as the youth-focused channels VRAK TV, Télétoon and Télétoon Retro – all of which are renowned for their strong mother and child co-viewing. The campaign also includes 15-second banners airing before programs.
An adult-focused campaign breaking Dec. 2 will target adults who can’t tolerate some of the ingredients contained in other over-the-counter remedies.
The campaign’s out-of-home component will include ads on eight of Astral Out-of-Home’s digital advertising faces in the Greater Montreal Area. The ads drive to HelixiaToux.com and HelixiaSinus.com. Astral’s visual optimization service MARK was used to measure and maximize the visual attraction of the ads’ key elements said the company.
