Boehringer Ingelheim’s new campaign for its heartburn treatment Zantac will be fronted by a miniature animated fireman called Captain Zantac.
He is, according to Boehringer ‘the only current animated character in the over-the-counter (OTC) heartburn medication category’.
Captain Zantac is part of a new 360-degree brand equity campaign that includes national television advertising and other high-profile promotional materials in print, online and in-store.
As a computer graphic animation, Captain Zantac and his firefighter crew blend with live action for an experience that the company expects to have a long-lasting equity effect in the category.
The new character and TV advertisement were developed in conjunction with Jomo LLC, an independent agency with extensive experience in consumer healthcare marketing, and world-famous animators Aardman Animations, creators of cartoon favourites Wallace and Gromit.
“This is an exciting new chapter in the evolution of the Zantac brand,” said Ross Ullman, executive director of marketing, Boehringer Ingelheim Consumer Healthcare.
“Our objective with this campaign is to help heartburn sufferers understand that not all heartburn medicines are the same. An iconic character serves as a persuasive and memorable platform to cut through the heartburn advertising clutter,” he added.
Zantac has been a leader in heartburn relief for more than two decades. According to IRI, sales have risen by 4.8 per cent in the 52 weeks to 14 July 2013, giving the brand a 6.6 per cent market share in the heartburn category.