The Saatchi & Saatchi Health Product Launch Award

Summary of work

Launching Regaine for Men Foam provided an opportunity to make a significant impact in an underdeveloped market dominated by unlicensed products with unproven claims. The launch enabled the brand to tackle a sensitive and emotional health issue for men: hair loss.

The launch of Regaine for Men Foam saw the brand reach new audiences in the category, tackle the primary issue of user compliance and start to normalise the discussion of hair loss among men in the UK. The foam formulation is easier to apply than the solution and dries quickly, fitting into the daily grooming routine of a man more easily. Moreover, when used twice a day, every day, Regaine foam is clinically proven to help stop and even reverse hereditary hair loss for men – 9 out of 10 men who used Regaine for Men Foam for 16 weeks say they kept or re-grew their hair.

To maximise noise around launch, investment focused on an extensive marketing campaign including:

• A new TVC advertising heavyweight media campaign in 2011, reaching 99 per cent of the target audience
• Redesign and rebrand of the Regaine website to provide advice and a forum to answer questions, alongside case studies
• Digital marketing campaign aimed at men who consume media and information online. This included advertising on key media channels and sponsoring the Video On Demand programme with Richard Hammond, ‘TechHead’ and creating an iPhone app
• A multi-layered PR campaign that extended to consumer, pharmacy and hairdresser media, both online and offline
• A bespoke HCP programme to educate and train pharmacists and pharmacy assistants, online and through a training manual.

Judges comments

“The Regaine programme really stood out as it looked at the sales and supply chain and used sophisticated multi-layer tactics to drive both uptake and compliance. It required a different approach, which they carried out thoroughly. I love the way they liaised with their colleagues in the US and absorbed their learnings. Masterly coordination and planning – they really understood their market.” 

Stakeholder comments

“The launch of Regaine Foam has had a great impact, not only sales (more sales of foam in a week than liquid in the whole of the previous year), but on the whole attitude towards the hair growth category both from customers and staff. All parts of the launch campaign have proved to be effective. The two-phase TV advertising campaign created initial interest in the product and, subsequently, encouraged repeat purchase. The huge variety of point of sale has been useful in providing support in all types of pharmacies, and has prompted customers to enquire about Regaine Foam.

The training has given pharmacists and staff real confidence to talk to customers about hair growth in general and recommend Regaine Foam, thus completing the loop. This has been one of the most effective parts of the launch campaign, ie, that the end-to-end sales process has been considered from creating interest to completing the sale and even repeat sales, generated by the timing of the second burst of TV advertising, repeat staff training and additional point of sale available, so a complete launch in every aspect has been delivered.”
Pharmacist/MD, Maguire Ltd (Marton Pharmacy)