Nicorette, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, is a world leader in therapeutic pharmaceutical products to help smokers quit their destructive habit. The company was keen to spread awareness about the support mechanisms available to help smokers overcome their addiction. Nicorette had set up a Quitline – a national hotline to support tobacco cessation and de-addiction efforts and engaged The PRactice to publicise the program among those who needed it the most.
The PRactice team implemented an awareness program that illustrated the addictive nature of smoking and the need for a solid support system for de-addiction, including expert counselling. Our messaging emphasised the fact that regular and expert counselling increases the chances of a successful “quit”. We worked with key opinion leaders (doctors, dentists, addiction counsellors) across India to help educate consumers about how to find the necessary support during the process of quitting and explain how the Quitline could be a partner in this journey towards healthfulness.
The execution of the campaign resulted in significant and high volume coverage in print and online outlets and was a critical factor in spreading awareness on this consequential subject. Over a period of 6 months, there was an average of 33 million media impressions. The message was conveyed loud and clear: using a support system such as the national Quitline would dramatically increase a smoker’s chance of permanently kicking this pernicious habit.
As a result of the campaign, the client’s Quitline saw an overwhelming increase in the number of calls. Just one day after a story we created came out in a leading tier 1 publication, the hot line received over 1000 calls, and overall the hotline saw an 80% increase in the number of calls.
