the challenge

This project involved localizing the Global “So Much More” Campaign for Johnson’s Babycare line of products, part of my remit as the in-house marketing consultant for J&J Malaysia. The campaign idea was founded on the theory of multi-sensory development, that stimulating the 5 senses can enhance the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of a baby. My job was to help the Marketing Department develop the local insight and implement the consumer and media launch which involved various stakeholders: sales and medical divisions, professional marketing, and external expert institutions.

the work

Beginning with a local connections plan that involved mapping out a young (expectant and new) mother’s babycare journey, we looked into how we could bring the benefits of multi-sensorial stimulation to life. We identified local experiences unique to Malaysian mums like the Full Moon Celebration and the period of Confinement and used these local insights to create opportunities for Johnson’s Baby. We also invited experts to cover each of the senses: a child development psychologist for Sight, Sound, Hearing and a scentologist for the sense of Smell.

For the Excitement/Teaser phase we looked into generating interest and curiosity through the use of iconography. The sudden ubiquitous appearance of the Johnson’s Baby rubber duck icon became a conversation point that would lead to more information on digital touchpoints (i.e. custom website, Facebook, mum blogs, partner sites) regarding launch events. Actual Engagement came through: (1) a Media/Press launch that involved a “Science of the Senses” Experiential/Interactive Exhibition + Expert Panel discussion and (2) the same Exhibition installed in Baby In-Mall Expo Events across Malaysia. These Expo events invite crowds by the thousands as a way of promoting baby brands and the bulk purchase of products at a significant discount.

For the Extension/Sustaining Phase we developed a Digital-led campaign to encourage Mums to pledge “5 More Minutes” to baby’s bath time to stimulate his senses and contribute to his development. We also created a health professional training program for confinement nurses, midwives and maternity wards to use the Johnson’s Baby-endorsed techniques to stimulating baby’s senses through massage, bathing and babycare rituals. Finally, the year-long campaign ended with a Baby of the Year competition that involved Mums sending photos of their baby along with stories on how they made baby’s bath time “So Much More” .

the impact

The localized campaign generated a lot of buzz both online through Mum-influencers and local celebrities. The involvement of Experts and Healthcare professionals added credence to the idea and generated real engagement. J&J received over 43,000 entries to the “So Much More” Baby of the Year Competition. Product sales for Johnson’s Baby bath products increased during the launch period increased even in the midst of some controversy behind Johnson’s baby powder. The sensorial enrichment techniques developed by J&J were used by health care professionals to promote healthy baby development.