Brand-Aid: Building A Macro Case For Micro-Sites

Dascal & AssociatesDigest and Chatelaine Magazine)
Case Study• Catered to the mass market, including everyone
Brand-Aid: Building A Macro Case For Micro-Sitesfrom parents to retailers
HISTORYd/a interactive is the new media division of• Developed and deployed a thematic promotion
Dascal & Associates, a cross media companythat involved a grand prize trip for a culinary
providing integrated strategic marketing, graphic designexperience in Provence, France
and new media services. d/a interactive has worked• Executed the value of Band-Aid Brand Liquid
with many multi-national companies to help themBandage as being worth the cost of the product
leverage their brands online. Understanding that the• Positioned of Band-Aid Brand Liquid Bandage as a
internet provides much more than a supportive role in"hot ticket"
a marketing strategy, d/a interactive has been working• Deployed a viral coupon component where users
with top-tier brands in the development of micro-sitescould "pass on the savings" via a send-to-a-friend
to help launch new products into the marketplace.function to try Band-Aid Brand Liquid Bandage
Most recently, d/a interactive was retained by Johnson• Created the "Ask Band-Aid" area of the micro-site
& Johnson to create a micro-site surrounding theas a forum to position Band-Aid as experts in care,
Canadian product launch of Band-Aid Brand Liquidsanitation and recovery from the cuts and bumps
Bandage.from daily life
Johnson & Johnson is the leader in the adhesive brand"Putting the pieces together to create a viable solution
category. The Band-Aid brand continuously bringsfor Band-Aid was based around our vision of using
innovation to the marketplace. In February 2003,their product launch marketing strategy integrated with
Band-Aid once again revolutionized the adhesivethis ‘stand alone’ micro-site to build brand
bandage category with a liquid bandage. Band-Aidequity and create product visibility," says Dascal.
Brand Liquid Bandage promotes fast healing on"The results we anticipated after creating the site
contact by forming an invisible, flexible and onewere strong micro-site traffic urging consumers to go
hundred percent waterproof seal that is breathableout and purchase the product at the retail level."
and stays on hard to cover affected areas.CONCLUSION
CHALLENGE"The use of micro-sites for the launch of any brand or
• Creation of a consumer-centric micro-siteservice is innovative," insists Dascal. "Band-Aid
• Creation of Content Management System (CMS)managed to keep marketing dollars relatively low with
technology that allows Johnson & Johnson to editthe ability to reach a large crowd. We’re seeing
certain aspects of the sitemany companies, from small to large, using the internet
• The longstanding Band-Aid brand has a traditionalfrom the initial strategic planning phase as a core
integrity. The look and feel needed to be upheld in theelement to their integrated marketing programs.
online environmentCompanies that focus on strong branding understand
• Needed to provide Johnson & Johnson withhow much technology and tools like a micro-site allows
statistical information about traffic and usage of thethem to keep budgets pragmatic with high-end results."
micro-siteDascal continues: "Consumers were able to educate
"We were looking to use the micro-site to createthemselves regarding the unique product benefits of
excitement," says Morris Dascal, President of d/aBand-Aid Brand Liquid Bandage which led to general
interactive, on their mandate from Johnson & Johnson.trials and, hopefully, repeat purchases. The micro-site
"Micro-sites are a relatively new way for companies toalso enabled Johnson & Johnson to gather consumer
launch a product without revamping their entireinformation through the online promotions and offer an
website and also a great way to isolate a user andaccessible channel for Band-Aid to speak directly with
maintain their attention on one product."their consumers."
"In addition," says Dascal, "we were using a"The success of the Band-Aid Brand Liquid Bandage
non-traditional buzz for a new and non-traditionalmicro-site was, in large part, due to Johnson &
product. The new Band-Aid Brand Liquid Bandage is aJohnson’s dedication to ensuring a successful
more expensive product, and Johnson and Johnsoncampaign," says Dascal. "This included excellent lines
was looking at integrating an online marketingof communications between d/a interactive and
campaign that included email marketing, banners andJohnson & Johnson, a strong working relationship with
this micro-site in conjunction with offline marketing andthe entire team that was involved in this launch, and
public relations initiatives. We needed to build a site thateveryone’s enthusiasm to use contests and
was brand specific."promotions coupled with strong and relevant content
IMPLEMENTATION/INTEGRATIONd/a interactiveto make the micro-site have inherent value."
set-up a distinct website and URL for Band-Aid BrandFUTURE
Liquid Bandage at"We are now in discussions with Johnson & Johnson
The core design component was to maintain the color,about building a full-fledged Band-Aid product
consistency, visuals and images typically associatedinformation website that will reflect their brand and
with the Band-Aid brand.entire line of products," concludes Dascal.
After storyboarding the concept for this micro-site and"We’re also seeing a lot of other clients
the virtual demonstration (which would enableinterested in building micro-sites for product launches
consumers to see how the product works from theand to test the waters of micros-sites prior to
comfort of their own home), d/a interactive designed,committing to a robust website.
produced and implemented the site. All visuals, contentThe Band-Aid Brand Liquid Bandage micro-site proved
and promotional areas were presented and approvedthat packaged goods companies can use the internet
in conjunction with Johnson & Johnson to ensure thatto establish their brand both online and offline.
the online promotion matched their offline strategy.We’re seeing clients from all sectors of industry
"There were three main areas that we focused on tonow looking at micro-sites to deliver precise,
implement and integrate this micro-site," says Dascal.informative and influential information coupled with
"First, we had to ensure that the front-end was visuallyintelligent calls to action and incentives."
appealing, matched the Band-Aid brand in terms ofABOUT D/A INTERACTIVE
integrity and was easy to use and navigate. Second,Formed in 1996, d/a interactive is the new media arm
we implemented a Content Management Systemof Dascal & Associates. Dascal & Associates is an
(CMS) in the back-end, so the staff at Johnson &integrated marketing, design and new media agency
Johnson could have access to certain content areasdelivering solutions that drive business through
for updating and editing purposes. Finally, we needed toeffective and creative communications. With offices in
focus on the calls to action and promotions that wouldCanada and the United States, the company has
drive this micro-site to be a successful part of thesuccessfully produced off-line and online marketing
Band-Aid Brand Liquid Bandage launch in Canada."strategies for companies and brands like Gillette,
SOLUTIONJohnson & Johnson, Keri Lotion, Kodiak and many
With the launch of the Band-Aid Brand Liquid Bandageothers. Dascal & Associates has extensive knowledge
Micro-Site, d/a Interactive:in product launches, business-to-business
• Created a micro-site that was robust in terms ofcommunications, merchandising, point-of-purchase and
design, functionality and usabilitypromotional campaigns. Through extensive work in
• Spoke directly to consumers and informed themhealth and beauty care, consumer packaged goods,
through a virtual demonstration, promotions and onlinebiomedical, personal diagnostics, industrial and the
couponingfashion and apparel industry, please contact us to see
• Deployed an online marketing campaign usinghow we can help make your next marketing campaign
existing and targeted consumer portals to send emailsa success.
regarding the launch (sites included Reader’s