2011 marked the launch of BRILINTA/BRILIQUE in Europe.  A treatment for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), BRILIQUE was the third drug in this class to come to market.  Our charge from AstraZeneca was to create a “premier” for the drug at leading European cardiovascular congresses through an innovative, stand out exhibit.   The booth had to celebrate the brand launch and captivate physicians’ attention in a crowded space and the booth content needed to be adaptable for use in individual launch markets.  

To accomplish brand goals, the booth needed to:
• Provide an immersive brand  “experience” that showcases the risk – benefit profile of BRILIQUE
• Position BRILIQUE as an innovation in ACS treatment and advance AstraZeneca leadership in the cardiac market
• Elevate brand key strategic messages and clearly demonstrate that BRILIQUE reduces the risk of CV death compared to the current standard of care
• Generate excitement and pride among the AZ BRILIQUE team across markets to help drive interest and uptake
And we needed to accomplish this within the confines of a stringent regulatory environment.

Our Strategy

Our strategy was to start with the science – to elevate the results from the primary BRILIQUE clinical trial (PLATO) – and to employ cutting-edge technology – computer generated imagery and 3D animation -- and an engaging, narrative to tell the BRILIQUE story in a new and unexpected way.  So, rather than demonstrating clinical trial results through a series of unrelated scientific posters hung on the booth walls, we created a 7-minute controlled experience that drew physicians through four consecutive rooms where the BRILIQUE story was revealed, and a controlled message delivered, though the vehicle of BBC-style special news report. 

The Experience

“Inside BRILIQUE” was realised through both the booth design and the filmed content, which was delivered through a linear experience, allowing the story and the science to build to incorporate all strategic brand messages and showcase the superiority of BRILIQUE over the current standard of care.

Booth Entrance:  To entice physicians into the booth, we positioned a “breaking news” headlines film immediately outside the booth and distributed 3D glasses.  The film both promoted the 3D experience and provided a tease on booth content.  It was supported with an original musical theme that was pulled throughout all booth elements, to provide a unique “sonic” brand.

Booth Room 1: When they entered the booth, physicians found themselves inside  a news studio where an on-screen news presenter introduced the BRILIQUE story , focusing on the unmet need that BRILIQUE addresses and highlighting that BRILIQUE is the first and only drug in a new chemical class to showcase innovation in ACS treatment.  In this room the newscaster invites the physicians to don their 3D glasses as they move into the next room – a laboratory where new drugs are developed.

Booth Room 2:  Physicians are introduced, on screen, to a scientific news reporter who walks them through a scientific laboratory, created through computed generated imagery to provide a “wow” factor but also to allow control of the environment and ensure content is consist with regulatory restrictions.  The laboratory and key scientific data are presented to the physicians in 3D, making the physicians feel as if they are in the lab itself. Content emphasises superiority of BRILIQUE over the primary competitor.

Booth Room 3: In Room 3, our scientific correspondent steps inside the data, and through 3D technology, invites the physicians along.  The data builds around our correspondent, visually emphasing key brand messages on drug benefits and safety considerations.

Booth Room 4: As the close of the experience, physicians find themselves back in the news study, where our news presenter provides a summation of the brand – key benefits, appropriate patients and how to prescribe.  Physicians then leave the studio, where they are greeted by an AstraZeneca representative who can answer any questions about the brand, including treatment indications and safety.

Internal Communications and Support:  All booth content, from the sonic brand to the films, was packaged in a toolkit and made available to markets to support local initiatives.  AZ staff was engaged in the experience through a comprehensive internal communications program, that included a series of video promotions, webcasts and in-person meetings.  Collateral, such a ringtone of the sonic brand, was distributed to generate excitement.

Our Results

• Through the booth, we were able to provide a narrative that engaged physicians and delivered all key brand messages in a controlled 7-minute format. 
• Attendance at the booth exceeded 10 percent of physician registrants at the European Society of Cardiology annual congress, the largest industry meeting in Europe; per industry reports, booth attendance averages 3 percent of meeting registrants.   All traffic was driven by word of mouth as exhibit rules prohibited direct marketing of the booth to attendees
• BRILINTA marketing teams in 21 markets beyond the EU requested the booth toolkit to tell the BRILINTA/BRILIQUE story to target customers
• AZ BRILINTA/BRILIQUE brand leadership showcased the booth at global AZ leadership forums as an outstanding example of creativity and innovation in a highly regulated marketplace: “When we were thinking about the launch of BRILIQUE in Europe we wanted a booth that exemplified the product. We wanted a booth that was innovative; we wanted a booth that drew people in and demonstrated that BRILIQUE was something new, something different, something they hadn’t seen before.” Sabrina Zimmerman, BRILINTA Global Brand Manager