The Hobbyist by Toyota Camry

• The Hobbyist campaign aimed to transform what customers perceived of the Toyota brand, in particular, the Toyota Camry, which is perceived as a car for older generations.
• Research findings before the launch of the campaign also indicated that the name Camry had become too synonymous with taxi drivers.
• Some comments went on to say that one needed to tour the streets of New York to see the numerous yellow Camry's to understand the perception.

• To change the perception, Toyota Camry Canada teamed up with local agencies to create a campaign that promotes the Toyota Camry as a car that "makes a statement” and a car that ensures they "stay connected.”
• The solution included digital content experiences that make bold statements about the vehicle and the individuals who drive it. The Hobbyist was then set as an episodic docu-series featuring stories of the individuals who drive the Camry, including information about their careers and hobbies.
• The individuals in the campaign are a data strategist and an architect who identify the Camry as their vehicle of choice as they go about their daily routines. Toyota Camry in the campaign is also presented with a “sensual smart” design and upgraded technology, which both shift it into another level.

• The Hobbyist campaign managed to generate a 31% lift in brand recall. Importantly, it led to an 18% lift in brand favorability.
• The new model is also developed to feature sophisticated technology, which is designed to ensure that its target audience stays connected.

Burberry Brand Repositioning

• The Burberry brand has been perceived negatively and differently for a long time. For example, during the 1970s, it was the most preferred outfit for the members of English gangs, which diluted the value of the brand significantly.
• During the 1990s and in early 2000s, Burberry brand, which was perceived as conservative and old-fashioned, became too mainstream for a luxury brand because of increased supply, product discounts, and many licensing agreements.
• In 2017, the U.S. generally perceived Burberry as that of affordable luxury brands such as Coach or Michael Kors compared to high-end luxury brands like Dior, Gucci, and Hermès.

• To regain its fame change the brand perception, Burberry brand embarked on major leadership changes. In 2004, the company hired Christopher Bailey as its creative director.
• It also revamped its cloth line to focus more on leather goods and “newness," increased prices of some items, and limited distribution of products to lower-end regions.
• In 2017, the brand announced its repositioning from a “contemporary luxury” to “luxury fashion" brand. This shift was accompanied by a new campaign dubbed "Burberry September 2017 Collection" to reflect the new assortment of high-end luxury fashion.
• In 2018, the company also changed its logo to reflect a more modern and innovative image that is adjusted to match the needs of modern generations.

• Today's generations are now presented with an updated Burberry brand with a new logo and design to portray some sense of modernity, which appeals most to younger generations. Equally, the new brand logo and revamped product line, which features classy trench coats helped the brand avoid labeling such as a "brand stuck in the past."
• Importantly, under Burberry's newest creative director — Riccardo Tisci, an Italian designer, has helped the company foster inclusivity, which has helped shift consumer perception. Presently, the brand appeals to all individuals regardless of their age, social status, race, and gender, Tisci said.
• Reports following the brand repositioning strategy indicate that consumer perception is changing regarding the brand. Engagement on Instagram and WeChat is steadily rising, and there is a “strong wholesale response to new products.”
• Overall, Burberry acknowledges that the results are promising after the transitioning activities, which have led to improving consumer perception.

Research Methodology

Sanofi

1. What They Did

• In 2018, actress Roseanne Barr claimed that taking Sanofi's sleep aid Ambien was the reason why she posted racist content on social media.
•  The original racist tweet made ABC cancel her show "Roseanne." Also, her talent agency dropped her.
• To defend herself, she later tweeted, "it was 2 in the morning and I was ambien tweeting," and then added, "not giving excuses for what I did(tweeted) but I've done weird stuff while on ambien- cracked eggs on the wall at 2am etc."
• Within a few hours, Sanofi responded with a tweet, " People of all races, religions and nationalities work at Sanofi every day to improve the lives of people around the world. While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication."

2. The Outcome

• Sanofi's tweet got 186k likes, 68.8k retweets, and 6.1k comments. To compare, their previous most popular post only had 241 likes and 78 retweets.
• Also, the brand was mentioned 76 and 83 times on Twitter on the day of the post and the day after, respectively. On an average day, they get 20 mentions.
• According to YouGov, shortly before the tweet was posted, 6% of the U.S. adults talked about Sanofi with their friends or relatives. A week after, the percentage increased to 15%.
• FiercePharma commented that "with a quick and witty tweet response to an accusation by actress Roseanne Barr, Sanofi lept into a cultural conversation, earning praise from both consumers and the industry."
• Major media sites, such as ABC News, Fortune and PR News all discussed the cultural implications of the incident, including one's responsibility for their controversial opinions, particularly for posting racial content, and the extent to which rare behavioral side effects of medications can be blamed for inappropriate behaviors.
• The Guardian also observed that the Twitter exchange between Barr and Sanofi inspired a wave of social media memes, in which people jokingly accused Ambien of all kinds of mistakes and irresponsible behaviors.
• Sanofi's move was praised by pharma marketing experts. Wendy Blackburn from InTouch Solutions mentioned that all the brands should look out for celebrities mentioning them on social media and have a response strategy in place.

Merck

1. What They Did

• In 2019, Merck presented their documentary movie, "A Touch of Sugar," at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival.
• The movie takes a look at the diabetes type 2 epidemic, focusing on the influence of "culture, community, social dynamics, and stigma." The story is told through interviews with patients, their families, and medical professionals, among others.
• It is narrated by a well-known documentary narrator and actress, Viola Davis, whose family has long been affected by the illness.
• The film belongs to Merck's "America’s Diabetes Challenge: Get to Your Goals" program, which promotes education about diabetes, as well as the correct way to manage the disease.
• According to Tracey D. Brown, CEO of the American Diabetes Association who is one of the interviewees in "A Touch of Sugar, “the film demonstrates the resiliency of the human spirit and contests the national perception of life with Type 2 diabetes. As someone living with the disease, I stand proudly with our community and encourage everyone to share what it’s like to live with Type 2 diabetes, so we can awaken the world to the everyday realities of this disease. Everybody’s voice counts and matters.”

2. The Outcome

• "A Touch of Sugar" by Merck got nominated for Purpose Awards by PRWeek in two categories, "Best Health" and "Best Use of Celebrity And/Or Influencers." It won an honorable mention in the latter.
• It was also "highly commended" in the "Consumer Marketing" subcategory by WPPed Cream 2019 Awards.
• The company says that "since its debut during the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, 'A Touch of Sugar' has sparked interest in communities across the country to help raise awareness about type 2 diabetes and encourage people to take action. From film festivals to educational institutions, advocacy organizations and healthcare institutions — audiences are using the film to address the type 2 diabetes epidemic."
• The film and the participation of Viola Davis got the attention of major media sites, such as MSN and Newsweek. Overall, she gave 38 interviews about "A Touch of Sugar," driving interest in Merck and their cause.
• The debut at Tribeca Film Festival was a big event, supported by the presence of 120 people from advocacy groups, the company, and the media.