Nicorette, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, is a world leader in therapeutic pharmaceutical products to help smokers quit their destructive habit. The company wanted to build awareness about their products with special emphasis on their safety and efficacy, and they turned to The PRactice to help establish Nicorette as a trustworthy partner in the “Quit Smoking” journey.
The PRactice team launched an aggressive media outreach campaign to draw focus to the state of smoking in India and how smokers who understand its perils can use Nicorette products to help them kick their addiction. The campaign included press releases describing the launch of new products as well as one-on-one interviews with key publications. Consumer research and survey data about consumer psyche and the behavioural patterns of smokers and those trying to quit was used in interactions with key opinion leaders across India to create a convincing case about the importance of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) in a smoking cessation program.
The extensive media coverage in print, broadcast and online channels featured Nicorette as a trusted partner in what can be a difficult journey and created awareness about the company’s NRT products. The success of the campaign was immediately obvious; 155 press clips were carried in Tier 1 publications and soon after the retail stock of Nicorette products was exhausted. Furthermore, the campaign helped strengthen brand equity thanks to 41% of the stories featuring the Nicorette brand name in the headline, and 50% of all stories carrying the Johnson & Johnson brand name in the headline.