Kobayashi Healthcare: Putting the fun in toe fungus.

BRAND STRATEGY

PRODUCT STRATEGY

GROWTH AUDIENCE STUDY

COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY

STRATEGIC WORKSHOP

BROADCAST

DIGITAL CONTENT

SOCIAL CONTENT

Sexy is in the eye of the ad agency.  

Our lead client didn’t think she had attractive products. Imagine inheriting a fragmented portfolio of remedies for toe fungus, jock itch, water bloat, leg cramps, assorted skin rashes, and, well, you get the idea.

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But we saw a beautiful opportunity. 

Kobayashi Healthcare was formed when Kobayashi Pharmaceutical acquired Alva-Amco Pharmacal. Sexiness was the least of its problems. They had aggressive sales goals, yet miniscule media budgets compared to their competition. Low consumer awareness. Obscure and limited retail shelf space. Dated packaging with no overarching brand connection. A disconnected digital presence. Multiple agencies working on disparate tactics. And most of all, no focused, cohesive, forward-looking brand message.

We were hired for one discreet and specific assignment: Fix it.
So, we got to work in the collaborative and transparent way we do. We held in-depth interviews with over a dozen executives across the portfolio. Launched a comprehensive growth audience study. Led two days of in-person strategic and communication planning workshops.  (It was a first for them.)  At the brand level, we articulated a unique positioning that resonated emotionally. At a granular level, we sharpened strategies on key products to have clear competitive advantages.  We developed multiple campaign ideas that were tested, refined, and tested again.  The result is irrefutable.   
 
The “Relief Hotline” campaign is a deceptively simple idea and nothing like anything this client has done before.  It defines the Kobayashi Healthcare brand now and for the future. Unites the portfolio. Increases the value perception of each product.  Helps media spend work harder. Builds trust and recognition with consumers and the trade. Acts as connective tissue across Kobayashi Healthcare’s multiple digital properties. And gives the brand a strategic and creative platform they can continue to build on.
 
Suffice to say, our client is very relieved.