CIRKLE WON PRIDE GOLD AWARD
Best Integrated Communications
In 2009 the PR company Cirkle won gold for their campaign for Montagne Jeunesse. Heres a bit of background...
The business has been built around a range of natural beauty products with face masques being their main product, along with foot, bath, hair and body products in single-use sachets.
The brand wanted to maintain their personality of its girly, natural, playful, pampering at the low cost of 99p, making it an indulgent affordable treat.
Cirkle were given the job of creating brand awareness whilst communicating Montagne Jeunesses fun pampering equity amongst their prime prospect (women aged 18 – 50.)
The main challenge for Cirkle was a limited budget. They did not have an ATL or NPD budget.
In reaction to this challenge Cirkle PR decided that the most cost effective, beneficial solution would to be to find a suitable and relevant partnership with a 3rd party. This would enable them to in effect hijack the equity of a already respected brand.
They actively involved the client (Montagne Jeunesse), taking them to see the musical Hairspray. Once they had fallen in love with it they created a free of charge promotional partnership with Hairspray the Musical that was mutually beneficial not only to Montagne Jeunesse but Hairspray as well.
IMPLEMENTATION/TACTICS USED
They became the ‘OFFICIAL PAMPERING PARTER’ of Hairspray the Musical
• For the first time ever Montagne Jeunesse created limited edition packs of a previously sold facemask presented with Hairspray the Musical branding on the front and backs of each individual item.
• Montagne Jeunesse then used these facemasks to launch a national point of sale (POS) competition offering customers the chance to win true Montagne Jeunesse style treats in the form of 5* girly pampering Hairspray the Musical tickets and a years supply of MJ products.
• They took leading cast members to the clothes show at the montagne jeunesse stand. This meant that fans of both products got to meet the cast and get signed copies of the Hairspray the Musical limited edition facemasks. There was singalongs and hundred of people visited the stand to takepart.
• The video of this was posted virally on youtube and was a huge hit.
• When Brian Conely signed to be a part of the musical as the cross dressing mother of the lead circle were there on behalf of montagne jeunesse, branding and giving samples to the London press launch attendees.
• THEY ALSO…. Negotiated 50 pairs of top price tickets for retailer and media bonding.
So to recap. The reason that thy won gold for best integrated communications is because they had ticks in the areas of
Creative
EXCITING ASSOCIATION. STAND OUT POS Becoming the OFFICIAL PAMPERING PARTNER was a major success.
Engagement
COMPLETE 360 DEGREES ENGAGEMENT. Not only did they get customers of montagne jeunesse excited about the product but also customers of hairspray the musical and cast and crew of the musical too. MADE IT A 3D PARTNERSHIP.
Turned problems into opportunities
Used the fact that they had a low budget to their advantage by creating a fantastic partnership, advantageous to both parties
Low cost
Negotiated costs for competition prizes worth £8,000, NO MONEY exchanged from either party.
They also won a different award
Sustainable
Although this partnership came to an end because it was so successful for both parties other musicals can now be used to help promote MJ’s brands at the moment there is a partnership created by Cirkle with Legally Blonde the Musical.
Successful
Increased sales of Montagne Jeunesse Fruit Smoothie facemask (the one branded with Hairspray the Musical) by 55%.
The overall reason that Cirkle was so successful is because they kept the theme of the brand, but added to it.
Do you think they did enough to win gold?
Do you think the target audience was the appropriate age for the product?
What other musicals would represent the Montagne Jeunesse brand identity and why?
