London - Saatchi & Saatchi has created its first campaign for Weight Watchers UK since winning the account in August 2011. The fully integrated campaign - which is Weight Watchers' biggest marketing campaign ever - launches with a three minute TV ad on 1st January 2012. The ad sees Weight Watchers join forces with Alesha Dixon to create a pop anthem putting members' weight loss success centre stage.
The song entitled ‘Do It Our Way (Play)' which plays out for the duration of the three minute TV ad, marries members' weight loss insights, all of whom have successfully lost weight on the Weight Watchers ProPoints® plan and is performed by Alesha Dixon to create an uplifting anthem of confidence and self expression.
The TV ad marks the start of a £28 million marketing campaign and is the springboard to launch a new ‘Play' brand proposition for Weight Watchers with the strap line ‘Weight Watchers, the game you play to lose weight'.
Richard Huntington, Director of Strategy, Saatchi & Saatchi says: "Our objective in re-launching the Weight Watchers brand is to make it feel more relevant and inviting to millions of men and women across Britain who want to lose weight. The new brand idea, Play Weight Watchers celebrates the joy of weight loss and their belief that it is a serious business but doesn't need to be a miserable one."
The campaign brought together one hundred and eighty Weight Watchers members to star in the pop video style ad. The result is a creative full of genuine integrity and authentic emotion. Members from all walks of life take it in turns to lip synch the song lyrics which express their own personal stories. For example Sarah-Anne, aged 31 from Kent who lost 2 stone 4 pounds with Weight Watchers sings: "My life revolved around TV. Easier to be someone than be me. Now I know what I want out of life. In bright colours so my body can't hide." By heroing the real members as the stars, Weight Watchers aims to use advocacy to attract a new audience to the brands core target of 25-55 year olds.
Andrew Knight, Senior Vice President, Weight Watchers UK says: "This ad marks the beginning of a new loud, proud and playful Weight Watchers brand campaign. It blends our members' real life stories and experiences about what losing weight means to them with Alesha's big personality and voice. It's the biggest expression of weight loss success we've ever delivered."
Following the initial three minute TV spot, which will run as a road block across all commercial channels between 6.45pm - 7pm on New Year's Day, the advert will be followed by a series of 30 second spots throughout January, featuring a run of separate ‘real life stories' of key members in the pop video.
The ‘Play Weight Watchers' campaign will be supported by local marketing and significant presence through PR and social media campaign, including the launch of a fully branded Weight Watchers YouTube channel and Play Weight Watchers microsite, to capitalise on the peak New Year weight loss drive.
The campaign song ‘Do It Our Way (Play)' by Alesha Dixon will be available to download from iTunes from 1st January, with Weight Watchers donating 25p of every download sale to their favoured charity, Tommy's.