Brand Positioning Campaign
Bengay defined the topical pain relief category for generations, but needed to redefine it for a whole new audience — the Weekend Warrior, a subset of the sophisticated, irreverent, hard to please, and often downright cynical cohort known as Generation X.
Overcoming associations with grandparents and arthritis was never going to be easy, especially for a brand that's synonymous with the category; but it presented an exciting challenge.
Campaign Concept: Feel It.
Functionally, “Feel It” evokes the physical benefits of the product — that immediate, tangible Bengay burn — as well as speaking to the "good sore" that comes from physical activity.
Emotionally, it’s a rallying cry to a generation who aren’t old yet, but no longer feel young. Who seek out moments when they feel connected and truly present. Who want more out of life, and want the things they do to matter.
Strategy
The campaign creative spoke in the voice of the target, as if each each ad were a social media post. Each headline was accompanied by hashtags that offered ironic meta-commentary — quite possibly the most quintessentially Gen X thing ever.
Social Media Executions
Social media posts added layers to the brand story, incorporating testimonials, user-generated content, video, and relevant lifestyle content.