The agency was charged with launching Hill’s Prescription Diet Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution - a revolutionary nutritional solution that affects a pet’s metabolism and is proven to help pets lose weight in two months at home. Around the globe, one in two pets are overweight or obese; however, weight loss is a frustrating and often avoided topic. Veterinarians are hesitant to offend the pet owner with a weight loss conversation and pet owners are frustrated with lack of success from their veterinarian's weight loss recommendation.

Key objectives for this campaign were to change the perception around weight loss products, broaden the discussion beyond the veterinary profession (engaging media to help spread the word), and drive sales for this new product to to meet aggressive first year sales goals.

The campaign focuses on understanding the frustration of the target audience and delivering a solution that is backed by real world proof. Innovative and efficient marketing tools empowered the profession to talk to their clients about the difficult subject of weight loss and reinforced Prescription Diet Metabolic as the best recommendation.

Globally, the arrival of this new product has been well received and the results have exceeded expectations.

The key message, "Expect Something Different", anchored to the key claim that 88% of overweight pets lost weight within 60 days was consistent throughout the campaign.

The veterinary profession was blanketed with this message. At key conferences for the veterinary profession, this message permeated the halls of the conference. It was everywhere from sidewalk chalk exhibits outside of the event hall, to educational symposiums. To help spread word-of-mouth around the globe, in-clinic feeding and sampling programs gave key thought leaders and clinics the opportunity to experience the product for themselves. Results were shared through an invitation only Facebook group, “Healthy Weight Heroes”.

Trade publications, a key communication staple for veterinarians, were used to reach those who did not attend conferences. These trade ads utilized acetate overlays to "reveal" a pet's weight loss. Other memorable spots included 1/3-page consecutive ads revealing a pet's weight loss.

The goal was to change perceptions about weight loss products, and that is what happened. At the largest veterinary conference in the United States, 97% of Hill’s booth attendees recalled the key message that 88% of pets lost weight within 60 days. Veterinarians and veterinary technicians have been inspired to start talking to pet owners about their experiences. On the “Healthy Weight Heroes” Facebook group in the US and Canada, 106 veterinarians and vet technicians shared their success stories and pictures of patient weight loss.

Globally, the "Expect Something Different” campaign has attracted unprecedented media coverage.

In North America, it received 28 pieces of coverage, including national and regional newspapers, trade publications and online sources. In France, it received 10 pieces of coverage and in Japan, it has received a whopping 131 pieces of coverage.

Internal client sales data shows that sales exceeded all expectations - 225% above forecast.