The Challenge
The sore throat category is crowded with global players and big budgets. Consumers faced with too many options often default to habit or price. To shift that choice, we needed to highlight Difflam’s unique benefits — educating people not just about relief, but about the underlying cause of sore throats and why Difflam works differently.
Our Approach
We started with the science: What is a sore throat, and what causes it?
But science alone isn’t enough. Research shows that the majority of adults across New Zealand and Australia have low health literacy. To explain how something medically works, clarity is key. That meant stripping away jargon and replacing complex terms with familiar language.
In conversation for example, rather than saying “I have a viral infection,” we tend to lean into simple, relatable phrasing like “I’ve caught a bug.”
Adapting a conversation style and simplified language ensured the story of why Difflam does more could be told in a way that resonated with everyday people.
Crafting the Story
With the language clarified, we built a framework to deliver a clear, engaging narrative condensed into just 15 seconds. This time constraint demanded focus: every word and every frame needed to earn its place. We built a framework to explain the narrative. The animation established what a sore throat is, the cause and how Difflam works differently from other treatments. All explained in an accessible, visually compelling way.
The Style
To maximise cut-through, we designed the animation with broad appeal. A modern, simplified, illustrative style that balanced credibility with approachability. Bright, clear visuals paired with concise copy created an engaging and trustworthy piece of content that could connect with a wide audience.
Extending the Work
The success of the script and framework meant it could be easily adapted across markets (New Zealand and Australia) and applied across multiple product variants, maximising efficiency and ensuring message consistency across the brand.
The Outcome
The MOA animation now sits at the heart of Difflam’s consumer education, helping simplify the science and build confidence in choosing Difflam over other sore throat treatments. By breaking down the complex into the relatable, and presenting it in a modern, consumer-friendly style, we made the brand’s promise of “Difflam Does More” feel both true and tangible.
