Stuck on "Brand" Aid

Stuck on “Brand” Aid

By Aran Coleman

Photo courtesy of Ogilvy PR

BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages have long been a staple in every family’s first-aid kit as a source of healing, comfort and protection. The popularity and name recognition of the iconic BAND-AID® Brand provided the company with more than just success. Over time, copycat brands emerged, trying to ride along on the coattails of BAND-AID® Brand’s well-deserved notoriety.

BAND-AID® realized that it was vitally important for the company to keep its brand name relevant and distinguishable from brands tainting their prestige. Therefore, BAND-AID® decided to seek out the help of Ogilvy PR to develop a communication platform that would update the brand without losing any its significance.

The main objective for the new BAND-AID® campaign was to emphasize the strength of the brand and create a better connection with the current generation of web-savvy consumers, especially moms and dads. They decided to use emotion as a means to relate to their target publics. This new and improved identity could make BAND-AID® uniquely their own. They used the word “stick-with-it-ness" to promote the emotional and functional aspects of the versatile brand. They used to campaign to try and make “stick-with-it-ness” a household concept.

The new initiative was dubbed the Stick With It! Campaign. The biggest tactic used was the creation of the first-ever Stick With It! Awards. This event was created to acknowledge and honor everyday kids who have "stuck with it" in the different aspects of their lives. Ogilvy worked with BAND-AID® and Nickelodeon in a joint effort to bring validity to the campaign. A contest was implemented and the prizes were a vacation to Hollywood and a tour of the Nickelodeon Animation Studios. Ogilvy used 15-year old Nickelodeon star Emma Roberts (the new Nancy Drew) to improve awareness for the campaign and the contest. Having Roberts as a spokesperson gave kids someone to identify with and drew attention to the overall goal of the initiative. To get the word out, she was sent on an extensive media tour where she visited radio stations and made public appearances. This strategy made a huge difference in reaching not only children, but also their parents.

The Stick With It! campaign went above and beyond what was expected. Coverage of the initiative exploded, bringing in over 65 million media hits for BAND-AID®. Most of the exposure was aimed at kids and parents together by using a famous spokesperson and other methods. Thanks to the involvement of Roberts, 3,500 entries were submitted for the contest. Stick With It! successfully highlighted the BAND-AID® Brand reliability. They also found a unique way to update the brand and give it a new pop to keep and attract consumers.