When BYETTA, an injectable type 2 diabetes therapy, launched in 2005, it was a novel, first-in-class treatment. But even with that marketplace advantage, the product found itself struggling with little growth after 3 years.
Moving away from what was a very clinical, mechanism-of-action-based story, Palio crafted a new communications strategy based on the unique claims Byetta could make with regard to positive patient outcomes. After a creative exploration that involved testing a number of ideas, one concept shot right to the top for BYETTA: “Time for Plan B.”
This bold, factual, and visually honest campaign made an emotional connection by speaking directly to the concerns of physicians. In fact, the connection was so strong that when Palshaw Measurement Incorporated validated the concept, and “idea importance” was considered, the “Plan B” campaign recorded a 99 -- the highest score ever seen in the diabetes segment. As one Palshaw representative said, “ ‘Plan B’ blew away the diabetes norm in every category tested.”