Parmalat Canada

Due to a consumer trend toward healthier lifestyles, the demand for foods that provide demonstrated physiological benefits, or can reduce the risk of chronic disease beyond basic nutritional functions, had increased. Toronto-based Parmalat Canada wanted to leverage its Astro BioBest yogurt, which was first on the market with a key functional ingredient – active probiotic cultures.

At the time of market launch, however, consumers had little knowledge of probiotics. BBDO was tasked with educating people while adhering to strict ASC guidelines limiting the direct explanation of health benefits.

Recent scientific research found that probiotic yogurt leads to increased immunity and energy. In other words, being healthy is a feeling that starts from the inside out. So BBDO illustrated how unhealthy consumers may actually be on the inside. In three TV spots and a website, women were portrayed as their 300-pound inner selves.

Each execution introduced a woman going about her everyday routine. Whether walking up the stairs, running the kids out to the school bus or wresting a shoe from the dog, her lack of energy and fitness was dramatized by a 300-pound man clothed in the same wardrobe, labouring to complete the task. The spots ended with the question, “How do you feel on the inside?” and drove viewers to feelgoodinside.ca.

The campaign was successful not only in terms of business results, but also in identifying an effective way to work within an extremely tight regulatory environment to get the message across.