MIDNIGHT OPEN

TitleMIDNIGHT OPEN
BrandSANOFI
Product/ServiceALLERGY MEDICINE
Category A01. OTC Oral Medicines
Entrant VOLONTAIRE Stockholm, SWEDEN
Idea Creation VOLONTAIRE Stockholm, SWEDEN
Media Placement ZENITHOPTIMEDIA Stockholm, SWEDEN
PR VOLONTAIRE Stockholm, SWEDEN
Production FOLKE FILM Stockholm, SWEDEN
Additional Company STATE INTERACTIVE Stockholm, SWEDEN
Credits
Name Company Position
Carl Unger Volontaire Account manager/CEO
Rasmus Nilsson Volontaire Creative Director
Rikard Linder Volontaire Art Director
Alexandra Dannberg Volontaire Copy writer
Josefina Bergström Volontaire Producer
Joakim Runesson Volontaire Planner
Samuel Skwarski Volontaire PR-consultant
Christian Åkerhielm Volontaire PR-strategist

The Campaign

To make pollen allergists aware of Allegra, Sanofi needed to communicate in more channels, in an engaging way that proves they understand what life is like for people with pollen allergies, specifically for allergists who want to exercise – even during the pollen season.   To succeed with this, the strategic choice to move Sanofi communication from the tablet to training. And by arranging Midnight Open Sanofi could prove that they understand how it is to live (and work) with pollen allergy, while offering solutions in the form of golfing at night and offering allergy medicine. Midnight Open was a proof that was necessary to become relevant for the target audience.

Creative Execution

The campaign consisted of the following parts:   Launch of the film and campaign Web: creating a first awareness of the initiative among golfers. Launch of Allegra Facebook page: meant that Sanofi could reach allergies directly in social media. Updating the event sites and TT calendar: secured visitors to local events. The introduction of the TT calendar facilitated media coverage. Press Processing national media: creating impact of different localities and national media, as well as interest in the follow-up of the initiative. Hosting 3 events at midnight during a week in Malmö, Gothenburg, Stockholm: created a strong connection to the brand and the product offered by Sanofi to the target audience.

The campaign hit the target to reach pollen allergists through Sweden via deserved channels by 800%. Allegra video reached 1 million views on YouTube and Facebook, which in turn meant that Allegra reached 2 million Swedes on Facebook. The figure is equivalent to the entire Swedish population allergic to pollen. Number of views was 280% higher than the benchmark. During the campaign Allegra became the first and only allergy medicine on Google's first page in a search for "allergy treatment".   The campaign moved Sanofi communication from talking about the tablet to training, attracting the attention of the pharmaceutical industry, as well as 14 Swedish media such as SVT (Public Service), Expressen Health, Sydsvenskan, Golf Digest and more.

Two million Swedes suffer from pollen allergies, but many go untreated because they think they have a cold. For Sanofi, it means loss of income and proof that its communication has failed. Since OTC marketing in traditional channels is quite regulated and the competition is increasing from cheaper allergy medications, Allegra has to take a new approach and make the product relevant in a new way. By creating an innovative format/event that Allegra owns, it opened completely new PR possibilities for the category.

To make pollen allergists aware of Allegra, Sanofi needed to communicate in more channels, in an engaging way that proves they understand what life is like for people with pollen allergies, specifically for allergists who want to exercise – even during the pollen season.   To succeed with this, the strategic choice to move Sanofi communication from the tablet to training. And by arranging Midnight Open Sanofi could prove that they understand how it is to live (and work) with pollen allergy, while offering solutions in the form of golfing at night and offering allergy medicine. Midnight Open was a proof that was necessary to become relevant for the target audience.