Title: Keeping your dragon happy: how Slendertone delivered its venture
capitalist investors sustainable business growth
Client: Bio Medical Research
Entrant: Publicis
Authors: Stacy Takaki Goss, Publicis; Trish Lally, Slendertone
Media used: TV, magazines, internet, interactive, sales promotion, PR,
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In a nutshell
By developing a new media strategy to allow for TV and changing the communications approach, Slendertone proved advertising's effectiveness to its venture capitalists and increased revenue by 71 per cent.
Summary: Slendertone proved advertising's effectiveness to a unique type of investor, venture capitalists, and delivered sustainable business growth. The brand was faced with the challenge of proving that it was continually optimising its marketing strategy and spend. First, a new media strategy was developed to allow for TV; using consumer insights, it optimised messaging around times when people were most "body aware". Second, to combat perceptions that the toning products were just a gimmick, communications were overhauled to show a "healthy and fit" audience the simple benefits of adding "tone" to their lifestyle. As a result, revenue increased by 71 per cent, while the marketing spend ratio decreased from 40 per cent to 23 per cent.
Judge's comment: Slendertone was a fascinating paper because it deals with the modern phenomenon of business, which is the venture capitalist, and how to convince them that their investment is worthwhile.
- Angus Maciver, group marketing and communications director, Morrisons.