In a country where very few of the population have access to Internet via desktop, branded content is somewhat behind international standards and is new to the market. However, the country ranks 5th in the world with regards to data usage (2012). This presented an ideal opportunity for a brand that targets the youth who are constantly on their phones.

As it is a pharmaceutical brand, there are service legislations with regard to promotion and age that have to be adhered to, for example: samples can not be handed out, and prizes can not be used to incentivise purchase and can be no larger than the value of R5000 (USD 550).

We took Desmond and the Tutus, a popular band in South Africa, and turned them into something as nasty as zits. Teenagers could stop these zits before they got out of hand snd help get them (and their skin) back to normal through a mobile game showcasing 5 irritating songs they wrote for us. Participants could win their own Desmond and the Tutus song as well as great prizes. We wanted to increase the Facebook page and talkability of the product.

The campaign was a “smash hit.” Major retailers in South Africa got so excited about the campaign that they gave Galderma Pharmaceuticals free shelf space to the value of more than the actual campaign cost. A very positive ROI. Facebook fans increased by 700%, reaching over 150 000 South Africans.