‘VELOVE’ Campaign
During my time working at BAT, I came up with the proposal and plan for the ‘Love the moment’ campaign for VELO. After successfully pitching the campaign to leadership, I was appointed the campaign lead for the project, ensuring it was launched successfully across all channels. The campaing was a success, propelling the brand to the #1 spot in Top-of-Mind Awareness within the UK.
Insight
A giant leap for UK consumers. In 2022 Velo was the second nicotine pouch to launch in the UK. Among consumers there was still a lack of awareness of the products benefits, as the category was in its infancy.
Identified that traditional nicotine products often come with restrictions—whether it’s smoke, smell, or social limitations, these can conversely be translated into product benefits that VELO offers.
These insights revealed a consumer desire for unrestricted enjoyment. One that was not being met by traditional nicotine products in the UK market.
The Challenge
Reposition VELO as more than just a functional product by highlighting its unique value—unrestricted enjoyment—in a way that resonates emotionally with consumers, and build brand equity and loyalty.
The Big Idea
‘Love the Moment’
A lifestyle and ‘dark’ variant were created for each message and visual, to ensure compliance with the Tobacco Directive
Today's consumers crave experiences that are uninterrupted, unrestricted, and undisturbed. VELO, by removing traditional barriers (like smoke, odor, or location based restrictions) and allowing for unrestricted enjoyment, becomes more than just a product. It becomes an enabler of presence. Whether it's a concert, a night out with friends, or a quiet moment alone, Velo is there to keep them in the moment.They can ‘Love the Moment’
Campaign Execution
Capturing Untaped Moments to Love
The campaign idea taps into a key untapped consumer moments within the nicotine category - enabling nicotine use where traditional options are simply not tolerated or illegal—indoor spaces, social settings, and professional environments. As such it created a strong foundation for which to build an integrated marketing campaign off of.
Channel Strategies
Due to the focus on moments and experiences - the decision was made to focus mainly on the OOH, Events and Entertainment, and Digital channels. Finding the untapped moments where consumers can finally enjoy nicotine, and fully appreciate the moment through unrestriction. This allowed also for a much more targetted approach across all channels.
Out of Home
Ensure further relevance of messaging with Programmatic OOH & proximity
A lifestyle and ‘dark’ variant were created for each message and visual, to ensure compliance with the Tobacco Directive
Key placements in Airports, TFL, business parks - untapped locations where smoking and other nicotine products are not permitted.
Increase relevance of messaging to our audience within these spaces through programmatic advertising, showing the message during the ‘special moments’
Paid
Right message, at the right time, to the right audience.
+5Mn impressions across the UK.
E&E
Bringing the product directly to the consumers in these untapped moments. Positioning Velo as the solution to not miss out on moments you love.
SOCIAL
Raise awareness for the untapped moments through the ‘good to go’ moment series.
On socials we were not legally allowed to use ‘love’ as an associative word. As such the campaign strategy of raising awareness of VELO’s unrestricted nature, was instead conveyed through the ‘Good to go’ series. Showing influencers using the product in spaces where nicotine is not usually allowed
Ultimately, the campaign helped reposition VELO’s as a product that unlocks new usage occasions, making it a growth driver within the category and BATs portfolio of new growth products.The campaign created an emotional association to this product benefit, allowing every touchpoint to translate into a much more meaningful benefit for the consumer.
