GAME OF PAIN

TitleGAME OF PAIN
BrandRECORDATI PHARMA GMBH
Product/ServiceORTOTON®
Category B02. Promotional Item Design
Entrant PINK CARROTS COMMUNICATIONS Frankfurt, GERMANY
Idea Creation PINK CARROTS COMMUNICATIONS Frankfurt, GERMANY
Credits
Name Company Position
Jana Apostolopulu PINK CARROTS Communications GmbH Chief Creative Officer
Briana Bolger-Schuth PINK CARROTS Communications GmbH Creative Director
Harald Schumacher PINK CARROTS Communications GmbH Senior Art Director
Isabel Klempa PINK CARROTS Communications GmbH Senior copywriter
Max Damm PINK CARROTS Communications GmbH Copywriter
Andreas Horx PINK CARROTS Communications GmbH Chief Operating Officer
Ursula Stahl-Beisiegel PINK CARROTS Communications GmbH Director of Strategic Planning
Nadine Velten PINK CARROTS Communications GmbH Account Manager

The Campaign

We use the effect of recognition and show well-known back-pain patient types, but in a humorous way. Therefore, we have developed an entertaining quartet card deck showing patients in their typical pain postures. Our quartet card series includes 7 back-pain typologies; Ortoton plays the role of our "wildcard" that matches with every type of the suffering characters. In an engaging way, doctors can reflect on their own patients and detect the most common back-ache types in their practice that can be treated with Ortoton.

Creative Execution

1st Mailing (Teaser): Doctors receive the muscle tenseness quartet card game (Game of Pain) via mail. It contains 7 different cards, inspired by the distinctive elements of the French Tarot deck. The cards show different back pain patients reminiscent of the King, the Queen and the Jack, supported by funny headlines. On the back of the cards, the posture and the symptoms of each patient are described in a playful way. 2nd Mailing (Product focus): Doctors receive "the Wildcard"– it’s the Ortoton card, the solution for any kind of back pain. Its visual is based on the former campaign key visual and connects the mailing to our current cross-media campaign. 3rd Mailing (Reminder): Our communication folds with a note block for doctors' daily appointments – a practice-relevant reminder that completes the mailing campaign.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

The mailing campaign reached the target audience exceptionally well, achieving a response quote of 6 % out of 10,000 physicians (outperforming the targeted 2%). The mailings have helped to expand Ortoton’s market leadership in the field of muscle relaxants. Ortoton has become better known as a state of the art treatment for muscle-related back pain, and as the best alternative to analgesic that treats the problem where it occurs - in the deeper muscle system.

The 3-step direct mailing helps to start a "cold calling" dialogue with doctors by arousing their curiosity about our product performance. We approached 10,000 doctors that haven't been contacted in person by the Recordati salesforce before. We use the power of recall: every physician knows his patients well – and often, he recognizes at first sight what their problem is, especially when it comes to back pain. With our mail concept, we create a relevant link between back pain patients and Ortoton and inspire doctors to switch from a generic analgesic to a more effective muscle relaxant. To get their attention, we address physicians in a humorous and unseen way. At the same time, we deliver relevant insights and create a strong link between understanding the needs of patients and being an expert by the HCP’s side.