Haleon and The Wild by Jungle have launched the new VoltarolNaturals gel with ‘Release the Tension’, a campaign encouraging people to own those awkward situations where the discomfort of post-workout discomfort clashes with social tension in public situations.
Launching across Instagram and TikTok, Haleon and The Wild worked with 10 well-respected influencers in the health, wellness and lifestyle space to inform and educate audiences about the benefits of the new VoltarolNaturals Organic Muscle Recovery Gel. The influencer campaign is also being supported by a host of information and educational content across the VoltarolNaturals owned channels.
The second phase of the campaign expands on the insight that physical discomfort, like getting a bit carried away in the gym, gets even more uncomfortable in exaggerated day-to-day social situations, like trying to run for the lift in slow motion. A further 10 influencers are creating content focusing on these social elements to bring a younger, more relevant personality to the VoltarolNaturals brand.
To learn more, we spoke to Patricia Garcia Castillo, Creative Strategist at Jungle Creations.
What was the brief?
To launch a new product by the Haleon portfolio - VoltarolNaturals – a non-medicated, organic certified muscle gel. This involved developing a strategic proposition and brand idea for a 360, integrated campaign which placed social channels and influencer collaboration at its heart. The key objectives were to drive awareness, consideration and trial.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
The team set out with the intention of creating a campaign platform that was really unique in the wellness category; breaking free of some slightly ageing conventions.
As Voltarol is such a familiar and well-loved brand, we had to do something innovative to create excitement around VoltarolNaturals that would put it firmly on the map. Engaging a new, different and younger audience would be key to achieving this.
Using real life, humour and taking inspiration and insight from how our audiences talk about movement, exercise and the 'day after' was really fruitful. We came up with three initial territories exploring the spectrum of the joy of movement through to the reality of post-workout discomfort and worked really closely with our client throughout.
The final, and 'winning' idea was Release the Tension, which referenced the social awkwardness that can make our whole body tighten, as well as the physical discomfort that comes with that. Bringing physical and emotional tension together was an idea that we knew would really resonate and help bring the spirit of social through our whole campaign.
What was the process behind ideating the concept?
Our journey began by applying the Release The Tension tagline to visuals that people could relate to. The team selected a variety of scenarios which led to evident awkwardness: adversarial football players, a tense-looking Elon Musk on the news, or someone getting stuck under a gym machine, for example.
We wanted VoltarolNaturals to own these circumstances where people needed to Release the Tension. Inspired by Kit Kat’s USP Take a Break moment, and Red Bull’s similar feat ‘Gives you Wings’ three-word tagline, our goal was to facilitate a connection between VoltarolNaturals and moments when people need to Release the Tension. Once we started, the ideas expanded and kept growing.
What was the production process like?
With Release The Tension decided on as the core concept, the next challenge was to implement this across creative assets on various platforms. We started with the creation of a Video on Demand asset which explored post-leg day scenarios.
This was supported by a series of Out of Home creatives, which featured a humorous tube priority badge for those suffering post-leg day.
We also incorporated a TikTok soundtag that allowed users to recreate awkward scenes, inviting consumers to more deeply connect with the creative concept and better engage with use cases of the product.
An educational segment featured influencers with an authority in the category further exploring real-life uses of the product. These social and influencer elements were the final piece of the puzzle to ensure alignment with the product's release date.
What was the biggest challenge during production? How did you overcome it?
While VoltarolNaturals is a non-medicated product, it falls within the wellness category. This meant we had to navigate the rightly stringent regulation of this sector. With the help of close collaboration with the Haleon legal team, we struck an effective balance.
For example, through focusing on portraying 'tense' expressions to convey discomfort rather than pain and using words like ‘relief’, ‘soothing’, and ‘calming’ instead of ‘healing’.
What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production?
Months of telling each other to Release the Tension at every opportunity, it has certainly become something of an inside joke. The most fun was definitely had when members of the team all took a turn recreating the waddle after leg day on set!
What’s the main message of this project and why does it matter?
According to our research, one in four Millennials and one in five Gen Z individuals experience anxiety in real-world interactions. The awkwardness felt in certain social situations is something we can all relate to.
With our primary message, Release the Tension, we aimed to create a sentiment that truly resonates with our target audience. We adopted a humorous tone, embraced personal experiences, authenticity, and spontaneity to effectively communicate a solution to a stress point felt across a range of demographics.
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
About 9-10 months from ideation to final delivery.
What do you hope it achieves for the brand?
Our goal is for the audience to associate VoltarolNaturals with easing muscle tension and become the first choice for consumers for this problem. We understand the pivotal role that brands play in earning their space in the social landscape.
Particularly when targeting Gen Z, as bringing value is essential to give them a reason to care, engage and, ultimately, encourage their affinity for the brand. In order to achieve this, we’ve created a campaign which is unique to the wellness category taking an approach that addresses universal emotional discomfort openly: social embarrassment.
This is the birthplace of cringe comedy, which has gained significant popularity in recent years. It also serves as a tool for Gen Z to embrace spontaneous and authentic content on social platforms.
By sharing our stories of awkward situations with others, we foster a sense of alignment with the right side of social norms. This, in turn, is the means through which we provide value and effortlessly integrate into the ongoing conversation.
Credit list for the work?
- Client: Hannah Ford & Graham Phelan
- Advertising Agency: The Wild by Jungle
- Strategy Director: Tom McGirr
- Agency Creative Director: Patricia Garcia Castillo
- Copywriter: Patricia Garcia Castillo
- Art Director: Barbara Desiderato
- Planning Director: George Pearcy (Publicis)
- Business Director: Greg Rowell
- Account Director: Alice Shorrick
- Agency Producer: James Fenn
- Media Company: Ben Mitchell, Senior Partnerships Manager, Publicis Media
- Production Company: Sticker Studios
- Director: Silence Aitken-Till
- Editor: Sasha Moon
- Post prod Producer: James Fenn
- Designer: Pamela Dragone
