The Power of Subtlety: How Less Can Be More in Healthcare/Pharma Advertising
The health and pharmaceutical industry has a lot to communicate – product features, benefits, and sometimes even delicate topics. And, traditionally, healthcare advertising relies on a direct approach, which not always results in enjoyable or memorable ads for the viewers.
But some brands are standing out in recent effectiveness awards are showcasing a new path to success: saying less.
Kantar’s Creative Effectiveness Awards that year after year reveals which brands have been creating the most impactful, meaningful and different work in the eyes of the public over the last 12 months. Unlike awards chosen by industry juries, Kantar’s annual study is based on direct consumer feedback. From December to January, its team watched thousands of ads that had been selected through consumer testing and began to whittle them down. Ads were tested across 16 markets, 35 clients, 41 brands and 28 categories.
Our team has selected 3 of the most successful health and pharma campaigns in this year’s edition that have something in common: they leverage the power of subtlety. These campaigns achieve success by prioritizing viewer engagement over forceful promotion. They weave the brand message into the narrative, allowing the audience to connect with the characters and situations organically. This subtle approach builds trust and enhances memorability.
Case 1
TENA MEN, KEEP CONTROL (UK)
From Shame to Empowerment: How TENA Men's Campaign Reframed Incontinence
TENA Men’s Keep Control campaign tackled a sensitive subject – adult men incontinence – with a refreshing dose of humor. This shift in approach made it a significant campaign in the health and pharma advertising world.
Traditionally, incontinence ads focused on the product itself, often with a somber tone. TENA Men dared to be different. Their campaign featured a confident, silver-haired gentleman navigating everyday life with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. The message? Leakage happens, but it doesn’t have to control your life. TENA Men’s products offer discreet protection, allowing you to stay active and in charge.
By using humor and a relatable character, it tackled the often-stigmatized topic of incontinence head-on, opening up a conversation that many men might otherwise avoid. Furthermore, the campaign focused on empowerment, highlighting how their product allows men to stay active and in control of their lives, rather than dwelling on the limitations of incontinence. This shift in tone and message proved that humor and a confident approach can be effective ways to reach consumers in the traditionally more serious health and pharma sector. Ultimately, TENA Men’s success paved the way for more open and engaging advertising in a sensitive category, demonstrating that even with serious topics, a touch of humor can go a long way in capturing attention and sparking important conversations.
According to Kantar’s in-depth analysis, in the UK alone sales of men’s incontinence products have grown significantly ahead of the market average (up 22% versus 13% overall).
Case 2
NUROFEN FOR CHILDREN - LEAVE THE PAIN TO US (UK)
Beyond the Logo: Nurofen's Colorful Approach to Boosting Brand Recognition
In a clever Nurofen TV ad created by McCann London, color takes center stage. The ad leverages the familiar yellow, orange, and red hues from the brand’s logo, weaving them into the narrative and making them an integral part of the story. This strategic use of color against a white backdrop creates a distinctive and memorable ad, effectively reinforcing the Nurofen brand from beginning to end.
This ad uses reinforces brand recognition without being overly promotional. The focus remains on the children enjoying themselves, and the pain relief message is implied.
However, the ad campaign arrives amidst a challenging market landscape. Kantar’s data reveals a 3% decline in kids’ pain relief sales in Britain compared to the previous year. This can be attributed to a strong performance in 2022, where sales surged by 34%. Additionally, milder winter illnesses have led to lower demand within the pain relief category overall. This puts pressure on brands like Nurofen to stand out and ensure high visibility during this crucial sales period.
Case 3
PANADOL ACTIFAST: ‘DELIVERY MAN’ (MALAYSIA)
The Sound of Pain: Subtle Branding Through Phone Pings
This pain relief ad from Malaysia taps into the relatable situation of being overwhelmed by notifications, subtly connecting it to headaches.
The ad features a busy delivery man bombarded by a relentless stream of messages on his phone. As the pings and notifications escalate, so does the protagonist’s visible tension and, presumably, his headache. The relief arrives in the form of a delivery – likely of Panadol Actifast – offering a solution to the mounting pressure and pain.
By prioritizing an universally experienced situation over a hard sell, Panadol’s ad fosters trust and memorability. The audience isn’t bombarded with product features, but rather subtly guided towards recognizing Panadol Actifast as the answer to their everyday headaches.
The Panadol “Delivery Man” ad uses sound design not just as background noise, but as a strategic element that heightens the narrative and reinforces the brand message. A central role is played by the constant “ping” that accompanies each incoming message.
This sharp, repetitive sound creates a sense of urgency and growing tension, mirroring the protagonist’s escalating headache. As the pings increase in frequency, the audience is audibly drawn into the character’s discomfort. When the delivery arrives, the silence that follows the final ping is particularly powerful. This sudden absence of sound creates a palpable sense of relief, mirroring the character’s (and hopefully the viewer’s) experience as the headache subsides.
Key Takeaways:
our cut ABBOVE
We saw
Shifting Focus: These campaigns moved away from a product-centric approach, focusing instead on relatable situations and characters.
Communication Beyond Words: These campaigns didn’t rely solely on narration. Color (Nurofen), sound design (Panadol), and even humor (TENA Men) were used to visually and audibly tell the story.
Emotional Connection: The ads aimed to build trust and empathy, fostering a more memorable brand experience.
We learned that
Subtlety Sells: Less can be more. Subtle messaging can be just as effective, if not more so, than a hard sell.
Engagement is Key: Focusing on audience connection through relatable situations drives engagement and memorability.
Think Beyond the Product: Highlighting the benefits a product offers in daily life is more impactful than just listing features.
The Power of Analogy: Subtly connecting a product benefit to a relatable situation (e.g., phone pings and headaches) allows viewers to draw their own conclusions, fostering deeper understanding and connection.
This encourages us
Embrace Storytelling: Craft narratives that resonate with your target audience.
Think Outside the Box: Explore creative ways to integrate your brand message beyond traditional methods.
Prioritize Emotional Connection: Build trust and empathy to forge stronger brand relationships with consumers.
Triggers for innovating
How can we craft commercials that use visuals and sounds as metaphors for the problem the product solves?
What if we engage the senses: and eplore the use of music, color palettes, and even textures to create a multi-sensory brand experience?
How might we move beyond explicit product demonstrations and let viewers subtly connect the dots?
How can we incorporate visual elements that tell the brand’s story and connect with consumers on an emotional level?
What of we develop a sound signature that is unique to the brand?
How might we create sound effects that reinforce the brand’s messaging?
ABBOVE TEAM