Our solution was to create 'strips for strips' - that is, comic strips for Altoids Strips that dimensionalise the Curiously Strong experience with an interactive mnemonic device. We collaborated with noted comic artist Charles Burns to craft an image that plays a bit more on the fringe than in the mainstream. We stretched a small budget through securing unconventional placements in key alternative publications, select urban out-of-home, and directing consumers to a rich Internet component which featured, among other content, a pretty cool little animated short film.

The results were beyond expectations. After four weeks of advertising, Altoids won back 16% of an ultra-competitive market, very rapidly regaining valuable territory from rival brands. At retail, Atoids Strips unseated a major competitor’s highly sought-after slots in key locations. The product was successfully mainstreamed; yet the brand’s counter-cultural edge was maintained. The work created consumer buzz, the numbers are good, the client is thrilled, and the campaign is picking up creative awards. So, you might call the results Curiously Strong indeed.