General information
Sector: FMCG
Media: Linear TV, online, influencer
Time period: from 2019 to 2021 (during 3 seasons of TV docu-reality Il Collegio)
Case description
The feminine hygiene brand Lines wanted to reach the younger audience to boost brand awareness through a bold campaign that would take a position against gender stereotypes and discrimination. Il Collegio (the Italian adaptation of That’ll Teach ’em) – a reality show in which a group of teenagers leave their families to study in boarding school to experience the education conditions of the past – was the right fit. By placing commercials right in the middle of the TV show (as a first or last commercial during the ad break) Lines created a close connection with the audience.
This type of strong contextualization of the commercial message in the show not only created editorial continuity but also a more engaging viewing experience for the audience.
Rai Pubblicità transformed the classic TV ad spot into original and ever-changing mini-branded stories that use the structure and distribution method of TV series, but this time with the candidates in their modern day-to-day circumstances. Each spot features stars from previous editions of the TV series challenging misconceptions, taboos, and false myths about menstruation and tampons. These myths are conveyed through creative solutions that include current trends such as “TikTok-style” choreographies, unboxing, and a podcast set-up. The tone of voice of the campaign follows the one of the TV series, casual, real and young: a perfect fit for the target group of the product.
For 3 seasons the original 45″ Lines commercials were aired on Rai 2 and a shortened to 30″ version on RaiPlay and Rai@YouTube linked to the program’s VOD content.
The success of the campaign was increased thanks to the “social influence” of the series’ protagonists, who spontaneously posted backstage content or special launches on their social profiles. Some scenes from the branded stories went viral and were unexpectedly filmed by influencers with millions of followers, resulting in excellent performances.
The campaign was designed and realized under the supervision of Rai Pubblicità’s Brand Integration team in collaboration with the communication agency Armando Testa, the media centre Media Italia and the production company Gothacom.
Campaign results
Attention, memory and appreciation of Lines commercial message was achieved by creating branded stories that are consistent between the stories told in the TV series and the brand values. Il Collegio became one of the most-watched shows with an unprecedented audience on the under-55 target group on Rai’s VOD platform RaiPlay.
The client was very satisfied with the results and decided to partner for 3 editions of the TV show. The operation was also appreciated and taken as a reference by other clients interested in reaching a young target audience and this innovative format.