With a new product innovation and cross border collaboration, Ricola is continuing to emphasize that it can be used for more than just coughs and colds.
According to Becky Spruck, Ricola’s lead marketer in the U.S., the brand’s new caramel-centred Throat Balm (which just launched stateside) is a solution that “gives consumers the confidence that they’re protected against everything from a throat tickle to constant throat irritations.”
A supporting campaign, “Coat Your Throat,” supports the new SKU/innovation and was created by Canadian shop, Fuse Create, the cough drop brand’s longtime AOR, which won the cross-border remit nearly seven years ago.
Steve Miller, the agency’s ECD, SVP and partner, tells strategy it started out solely on social media, with a small number of Facebook buys. Gradually, it branched out to include more media and content, which proved successful.
According to Miller, during COVID, with people sequestered indoors and demand for products like Ricola heading south, it brought back the idea of “your voice is powerful, take care of it,” and pushed its efficacy outside of cold season.
It spearheaded a whole new daily use category for the Swiss brand, Miller claims, adding that the Throat Balm is the next innovation in everyday voice, a space nobody is playing in, as the brand also looks to connect with younger buyers.
Fuse Create handled the go-to-market strategy, creative and PR. It also partnered with influencers to demonstrate how protecting their throats makes them better at doing what they do best: storytelling and entertainment. Additional influencers were handled by Hire Influence.
The launch is being backed by some lighthearted creator content from YouTubers Harry Mack and Good Mythical Morning (which has so far garnered over 1.3 million views collectively), as well as podcaster Jenna Kutcher and TikTok personality Dancing Newscaster.
The strategy includes a comprehensive media campaign touching on a wide variety of channels like linear TV, OLV, social, and OOH, along with extensive sampling across the country. And, according to Miller, Ricola is planning to launch a first-to-market innovation for Canada next year.
