Video case study: MSD Animal Health - The Big Tick Project

Shout Communications and MSD Animal Health used video, research and influencers to raise awareness of the danger posed by ticks. The campaign led to increased sales of Bravecto, the tick prevention product.

SENT UNDER EMBARGOED FOR FIRST USE 16 MARCH 2016 00.01 Chris Packham and Prof Richard Wall, photographed as they search for ticks that have been infecting dogs in the Harlow area. See SWNS story SWTICK; Scientists are warning of the spread of the fatal dog tick disease babesiosis after 3 out of 4 infected canines died in an outbreak in Essex. The parasite, which affects thousands of dogs every year in France is extremely rare in the UK but now a massive survey of the bugs by wildlife expert Chris Packham has revealed for the first time that British dogs are in danger from the killer parasite. Presence of Babesia canis in UK raises need for surveillance says Big Tick Project leader Professor Richard Wall ? University of Bristol is currently analysing 1000s of ticks collected by veterinary practices as part of MSD Animal Health’s Big Tick Project ? Big Tick Project study is mapping tick hotspots to identify disease risks. It is hoped that the results of the study will powerfully highlight the challenge that an increasing distribution and prevalence of ticks brings to human and animal health

Chris Packham, TV presenter and naturalist (left), and professor Richard Wall from the University of Bristol search for ticks that have been infecting dogs in the Harlow area

Client: MSD Animal Health
PR Team: Shout! Communications
Timing: June 2015
Budget: £14,500 (for the broadcast element)

Objectives:

To increase awareness and engage with veterinary professionals and dog owners, making them aware of the risk from ticks and tick-borne disease to them and their animals
To drive more sales of Bravecto – a product for dogs which protects them from ticks, available only through veterinary practices – by an “ambitious” 50%
To help grow the total market for veterinary, prescription-only medicine for licensed tick products

Strategy and implementation:

Amid concerns that the tick population in the UK is rising, with an associated rise in risk from tick-borne illness – such as Lyme disease – in both people and animals, MSD Animal Health began working with the University of Bristol to develop the Big Tick Project.

Shout! Communications’ involvement in promoting the story came half way through the 18-month long campaign – when an increase in momentum at the start of the 2016 “tick season” was required.

The peg for the story was to update the audience on the Big Tick Project, in anticipation of the results of the study, which are due in September 2016.

Broadcast content was crucial in reaching the target audience and we produced three different types of video in order to maximise coverage: a b-roll, an online video package to be sold into websites editorially and a video package to be sent to veterinary practises and played in their surgeries.

Shout! filmed in Essex where two cases of Babesiosis had been discovered. This is a potentially fatal tick-borne disease, rife in Europe but only previously seen in the UK in pets that had travelled abroad. Footage included Chris Packham, the TV presenter and campaign spokesperson, a tick expert from the University of Bristol, a case study of dog which had been infected by Babesiosis and an Essex vet who had recently diagnosed the first cases of Babesiosis in the UK.

One of the ticks that have been infecting dogs in the Harlow area

Results:
The B-roll was distributed to national and regional broadcasters, the online video package was successfully placed on mainstream and specialist websites and a more tailored package, featuring Chris Packham talking directly to vets, went to surgeries throughout the UK.

Shout! established a radio studio at the University of Bristol which generated further interviews.

Coverage included: several opportunities on three national TV news programmes, three regional TV news bulletins, 24 radio stations including Radio 2, Radio 4’s Today programme, Sky Radio and Farming Today and eight websites used the video package including the Mail Online and the Express Online.

Outcome:

82% increase in Bravecto sales
44% increase in the total market for licensed tick products (ie veterinarian prescription only medicine, as verified by GFK research data, April 2016)
A survey of veterinary practices taking part showed that participating vets voted the Big Tick project a resounding success, with 94% reporting their experience as being good or very good. Respondents revealed that altruistic reasons were their primary motivation for taking part, with ‘making a contribution to science’ and ‘obtaining regional data on the scale of the tick problem’, quoted by 96% and 90% respectively
Led to an industry wide meeting on the risks of tick borne disease, due to take place in July 2016 to discuss the rising threat level, best course of action for the industry and potential recommendations to government