GSK teams with Channel 4 in new £4.2M tailored marketing push for Sensodyne

GSK has announced the launch of an innovative TV partnership with Channel 4 in a new £4.2m marketing campaign which premières during the return of legendary adventure gameshow The Crystal Maze following a bespoke introduction on 30th June. The partnership with channel 4 includes a new media format to help connect and engage with the target audience, which complements the heavyweight media plan developed to support the re-launch of Sensodyne Rapid Relief toothpaste.

The partnership will see Sensodyne featured prominently across Channel 4’s schedule with premium media placements and a series of short ‘Blipverts’ – a first for Sensodyne Rapid Relief. The activity aims to disrupt and drive maximum impact for Sensodyne, whilst perfectly dramatising ‘speed’ throughout the creative to resonate with viewers and illustrate the product’s key benefit – fast relief from the pain of tooth sensitivity in just 60 seconds.

The wider campaign entitled, ‘Face up to sensitivity pain fast’ focuses on the various triggers of tooth sensitivity. The campaign includes TV, out of home, cinema and digital activity which includes the first YouTube masthead in the UK, advertising Sensodyne on 4th July which will reach an estimated 50 to 60 million users.

The brand will also be driving standout with consumers at the point of purchase by launching its first ever in store experiential activity. Consumers will have the opportunity to take the ‘chill test’ with iced, chilled water while a brand ambassador explains how Rapid Relief works. The shopper will look into a digital screen to see if they pull one of the ‘faces of sensitivity’. To complete the activity, there is a touch screen tooth game simulating how tooth sensitivity is triggered with shoppers receiving a coupon to redeem in store on their next visit.

Laura Street, Area Marketing Manager for Sensodyne and Pronamel at GSK, commented: “Sensodyne has recently become a £100m brand in the UK and is also worth £1bn globally, therefore we’re thrilled to be continuing this success with our boldest marketing campaign to date. This is a completely new approach for the brand to highlight the messaging and launch of our fastest acting sensitivity toothpaste yet, Sensodyne Rapid Relief, and we’re proud to be partnering with Channel 4 to deliver a high impact, innovative creative to engage with our target audience.”

“There is a clear consumer need for ‘fast acting’ products, with our research highlighting that fast relief from the pain or discomfort of tooth sensitivity is an important benefit for sensitive toothpaste users. Sensodyne Rapid Relief, with its unique formulation underpinned by science, is perfectly positioned to meet this need. Our campaign will hone in on the one in three shoppers suffering with sensitive teeth, to encourage sensitive toothpaste users to trade up to take advantage of the product’s fast acting formulation,” concludes Street.

Sumeet Khanna, Northern Europe Media Manager at GSK Consumer Healthcare commented: “In what is a deeply fragmented media landscape, the need to think smarter is imperative across our connections planning. Being bold, constantly seeking innovation and trialling new media formats are at the heart of what we do at GSK to ensure we reach and successfully engage with our core target group. The partnership with Channel 4 is an excellent example of creativity and innovative thinking, allowing us to deliver high impact and disruptive advertising with the objective of landing key Sensodyne Rapid Relief benefits to our consumers.”

Nicola Evans, Account Director at MediaCom commented: “GSK is constantly striving to use innovative and new media formats to drive the brand forward. We selected Channel 4 for the launch of our blipverts as this channel indexes well. Along with this, we identified programmes within Channel’s 4 schedule that we felt aligned closely with our ‘rapid’ messaging and the key product benefits. The Crystal Maze (stand up to cancer celebrity special) aired in 2016 and indexed at i151 for our target audience. Calls via social media channels to bring back the show were answered! We expect to see a similar level of social engagement to the show’s one-off episode last year and works as the perfect environment for us to launch our blipverts, delivering not only scale but engagement also.”

Danny Peace, Agency Principal, Channel 4 commented: “We are delighted to be working with GSK as the launch partner for their exciting Sensodyne campaign. It’s our mantra to continually help brands innovate within their TV activity and this is a really fresh approach to the medium.”

Source: GSK

  Channel 4, FMCG, GSK, Marketing, Mediacom, partnership, Sensodyne Rapid Relief, The Crystal Maze, Toothpaste, TV, UK