People are conditioned to accept that oatmeal fills their stomachs, but many don’t know that it can also protect their hearts. The challenge for Peterborough, ON.-based Pepsi-QTG Canada’s Quaker Oats brand was to drive home its cholesterol-reducing properties without violating Advertising Standards Canada (ASC) regulations. OMD Canada solved it with a pop quiz.

Goal

To employ the reach of TV without flaunting ASC regulations that prohibit linking cholesterol-reduction messaging with a specific brand of oatmeal.

Target consumer

Adults 25 to 54.

Insights and strategy

OMD Canada’s Toronto office created a partnership with the CBC last March to integrate heart health facts into the Test the Nation TV show as IQ questions presented by Quaker Oatmeal. This would allow Quaker to use television, link itself to cholesterol reduction and enhance its heart-health credentials.

The plan

Three 30-second content segments, asking questions about the heart-healthy properties of oatmeal, were presented as integrated content. Viewers were invited to text in their answers to win a Quaker Heart Health Makeover.

Banners and buttons on the Test the Nation website drove visitors to Quakerheart.ca to learn more about cholesterol and heart health.

Results

A total of 1,500 consumers entered to win the Heart Health Makeover. Quakerheart.ca received 4,185 unique visitors on the day of the broadcast. Traffic was up by 75% over the previous month, and 2,000 people took the online quiz.

Credits

OMD Canada: Paula Carolan, group director, strategy; Laurie-Lynne Ungurain, broadcast manager

Pepsi-QTG Canada: Andrew Shulman, marketing manager; Neetu Godara, assistant marketing manager

Praxis PR: Diane Black, VP

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