London Fashion Week has come to a close but Sanofi’s Buscopan made a splash in an effort to raise awareness of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Buscopan unveiled its Fashion Cramps campaign in recent days to highlight the effects of IBS through the use of high fashion photography. IBS is a disease that affects men and women, including between 25 million and 45 million Americans, according to the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders.
The ads feature a trio of models wearing designer clothing complete with detailed descriptions of the apparel along with the symptoms of IBS, which include abdominal cramping, changes in bowel movements like diarrhea, bloating and excessive flatulence.
Fashion Cramps concludes with a reminder that 10 mg Buscopan tablets can relieve these stomach pains. In a press release promoting the campaign, Sanofi said it hopes that this will bring Buscopan “into popular culture.”
“We as Buscopan hope that this campaign will help steer us to our larger goal of affirming Buscopan as an innovative category leader, where we have a space to play a meaningful role in people’s lives – extending the boundaries, possibilities and relevance as a healthcare brand,” Isabel Robaina, Sanofi Global sub-category lead digestive wellness – abdominal cramps, consumer healthcare, said in a statement.
The campaign has been distributed on social media, as digital out-of-home placements across Fashion Week locations in the city as well as through special placements in print publications like Cosmopolitan and ES Magazine.
Additionally, the mock ads were created by MRM Spain, a marketing and martech agency, and utilized fashion photographers from Q&Cumber.
“Healthcare marketing doesn’t always need to look like healthcare marketing. We’re so excited to help Buscopan make a debut in such a fresh way,” Félix del Valle, chief creative officer at MRM Spain, said in a statement. “London Fashion Week was the perfect moment for “Fashion Cramps,” due to the intertwined relationships that exist between models during this high-stress event, and the stress-induced symptoms of those suffering from the abdominal issues that Buscopan seeks to alleviate.”
Using a high fashion industry event to promote a pharma brand is a strategy medical marketers have embraced in recent months.
In September, Genentech staged Double Take, the first-ever fashion show for people with spinal muscular atrophy during New York Fashion Week. The event featured individuals wearing adaptive fashion designed to accommodate their body types and disabilities.
