Lotrimin's social push urges voters to 'stand with confidence' at the polls

Brief:

Bayer's Lotrimin footcare brand is asking people to "Stand with Confidence" and vote in this year's U.S. election, per an announcement emailed to Mobile Marketer. The campaign will run until after Election Day on Nov. 3.
Lotrimin's paid social campaign includes a series of augmented reality (AR) filters on photo-sharing apps Instagram and Snapchat that give people a way to show causes they support, such as social justice and healthcare. The company also created a microsite to offer tips on how to stay comfortable while standing in line at polling places.
Lotrimin's effort to urge people to vote is part of a broader "Go with Confidence" purpose-driven campaign, Ad Age reported, and is the latest campaign to revolve around voting. The footcare brand is working with creative agency Deutsch LA on the campaign.

Insight:

Lotrimin's purpose-focused advertising campaign on social media aims to reach younger audiences with its paid social effort that includes AR filters on Instagram and Snapchat. People ages 18 to 29 tend to have much lower voting rates than older generations, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, whose data show that fewer than half of the demographic group voted in the last election. Instagram and Snapchat are two of the most popular apps among young adults, helping to ensure Lotrimin connects with audiences that are harder to reach through traditional media like linear TV.

AR content is popular on social media, with Snapchat's parent company Snap saying that 75% of its users, or 170 million people, play with its AR lenses and filters for an average of 30 times a day. Instagram hasn't disclosed similar information about its AR content, but the format has been popular with marketers. As people share messages, posts and stories with Lotrimin's AR content in the apps, the brand can reach a broader audience and urge others to participate in its messaging.

The campaign comes as U.S. companies focus on social issues, with the most important one being inequality, according to a study that Deutsche Bank conducted on corporate regulatory filings, announcements and event transcripts, MarketWatch reported. Inequality became a bigger issue after the killing of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police spurred a wave of protests worldwide. Sustainable infrastructure development and climate change also are key issues, according to the report.

Lotrimin isn't the only brand that to launch a campaign urging people younger people to vote, which is a way of remaining neutral on social issues while demonstrating support for a cause. Chipotle Mexican Grill recently sold T-shirts that people could scan with a smartphone camera to reach a voter registration website. C Nando's Peri-Peri restaurants, SoundCloud, Coach and Unilever also have created get-out-the-vote campaigns this year, Ad Age reported.