Excellence in Brand Revitalisation

Summary of work

Prezista (darunavir) is the main product of the Janssen HIV Franchise. It was launched in EMEA in 2006 in highly experienced patients and since then, it has steadily and consistently increased the number of indications to retain relevance for the brand’s target audience. At the time of the launch, the different countries in the EMEA region developed their own individual creative campaigns.

In 2010, the EMEA region unified all the communications with one campaign that communicated potency and leadership. By 2013, Prezista was already leader in its class. The market landscape changed significantly, with more products available, the launch of the single tablet regimens (STRs) and the focus on long-term treatment vs the old paradigm of keeping patients alive. 

At this point, Janssen EMEA team and the marketing teams from the affiliates decided that it was time to revitalise the strategy and campaign. The strategy was developed in a one-day workshop involving representation of key local affiliates. The brand positioning was revised, keeping the essence but completing it and adapting it to the new times. It developed a new single-minded proposition that left behind the well-known potency of Prezista (efficacy now is a given) to base the communication on a customer insight.

Judges comments

This was an effective and simple tactical programme that showed a clear process for revitalising Prezista’s positioning, and changed perceptions. This entry showed good co-creation with affiliates, and local adaption.