GSK India has launched a new ad campaign featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Manoj Pahwa to raise awareness about shingles. Directed by R. Balki, the campaign provides information on the causes, risk factors, and prevention of shingles. The films aim to educate the public with clear and direct messaging on the condition. Vigyeta Agrawal, patient empowerment lead, GSK, talks to BrandWagon Online, about the inspiration, creative process, and challenges faced in bringing this campaign to life.
What inspired the concept behind this campaign, and how does it resonate with your target audience?
The API-Ipsos Survey 2023 and The Shingles Misconception Study 2024 showed that ageing adults do not understand the cause of shingles and underestimate their risk of this disease. We wanted to make them aware of their risk and encourage them to talk to their doctor to understand the science behind this risk. We had used a serious tone of voice for our previous shingles campaign that focused on the unbearable pain of this disease. For this campaign, we wanted to use a humorous tone and everyday scenarios to make our message memorable. We are confident that the message will resonate with ageing adults because the films depict situations that most ageing adults may encounter every day. One of the films show two friends reminiscing about school days and the other shows a situation in the life of a person with diabetes. The creative direction helmed by R Balki, and the acting prowess of Amitabh Bachchan and Manoj Pahwa make the films engaging.
Can you walk us through the creative process of developing this ad campaign from ideation to execution?
The creative process begins with research. We already had data points to show that we need to make ageing adults aware of their shingles risk so that they can take this disease and its prevention seriously. We created a few concepts and finally decided that if we want to make a film that resonates with our target audience, we need to make it relatable yet backed by science. The campaign line of ‘Yeh Science Hai’ worked on multiple levels. We also realised that having credible voices in the film will help consumers take notice and appreciate the why of the disease, and with seasoned actors at the forefront we decided to on-board R Balki to create the films because he is known for his emotive storytelling and dealing with complex subjects in an artful yet simple manner.
What challenges did you encounter during the creation and implementation of this ad campaign, and how did you overcome them?
The key challenge was to be able to tell a story, in a manner that was relatable yet informational, thought provoking yet slice-of-life. We did not want the ads to contain too many technical details, yet give enough to intrigue a consumer to talk to their doctor about the disease and the science behind it. And I think we have managed to strike a balance and keep the films engaging.