KARACHI: Sensodyne toothpaste is known for its direct advertisement campaigns. This brand of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Consumer Healthcare Pakistan has morphed an identity of its own. How many of you have come across gigantic billboards showing a headshot of someone twitching their face in pain? The presence of the Sensodyne logo next to it makes us all feel that sharp sensation in our jaws as well even if we have perfectly healthy teeth. This is the strength of this brand’s advertisement campaigns so far.
However, now the marketing team of Sensodyne has decided to connect to their potential and actual customers on more levels than just teeth ailments, without letting go of the basic theme of “sensitivity”.
Ali Yaqooti, SBM – Toothpastes, spoke to media members about this new direction taken by Sensodyne. “All our products are more than household commodities, they offer a more value-added proposition. Likewise, Sensodyne isn’t just an ordinary toothpaste, it’s a dental paste that offers a more value-added solution, treats Sensitivity. Same has been the case with Horlicks, it is not just a delicious milk flavour milk for kids, it also has nutritional value,” he said.
The media meet called by the marketing team of Sensodyne shared that the brand has always focused on communicating the functionality of the products. And even though it has been successful in getting the message across, it has not been very helpful in building an emotional relationship with the customers.
Ali said, “For Sensodyne, our proposition has always been relief from tooth sensitivity pain. Research shows 40 per cent of Pakistan’s population experiences tooth sensitivity and more than half of them are not doing anything about it. People are living with this issue and have adapted their lifestyles accordingly. Not knowing that the solution is as easy as changing your toothpaste.
The functionality did well, but the emotional connect was missing. As a solution to this, #HasaasRishtay was created, where the Sensodyne marketing team sat together and asked the fundamental question, what does Sensitivity mean to a typical Pakistani. – this time in terms of analogy as opposed to a medical condition. And that’s what triggered the thought, that the most sensitive thing in our lives is our relationships.
The first iVideo to come out of this new direction is a son working late hours, coming home late from work finding that his mother is waiting for him and hasn’t had dinner either. The new campaign is about the sensitive moments that nurture human beings and drive their lives,” said Ali, “.”
Ali Nasir, ABM – Toothpastes, said, “A few other videos are in pipeline as well, we are going to have celebrities on board and ask them to share their sensitive moments. For instance, for someone, it might be the moment where they make it home just in time for their daughter to go to bed.”
Speaking to Pakistan Today, Ali Yaqooti said, “We have never done such a campaign in the past. Every advertisement to date has been about defining sensitivity, diagnosing it, treating it and so on. We have never created an analogy before.” Ali Nasir added, “We are now trying to create a link with our customers, instead of just simply communicating functionality.”
