SILVER — HP—“Blurry Scripts,” PHD Colombia

In Colombia most people buy refilled printer cartridges, perceived as cheaper than original cartridges, representing the real competition for Hewlett Packard printing cartridges. HP had to demonstrate that original cartridges print more clearly, and are actually no more expensive, than the refills. They accomplished this goal by employing humorous product integration in prime time soap operas and TV magazines. Presenters could not read scripts because they were printed with refilled cartridges. A soap opera story line centered on a penny-pinching hospital director who used refilled cartridges to disastrous results. In every situation the message came through that original HP printer cartridges were of higher quality – and actually not expensive because they printed double the pages the refilled cartridges printed for the same amount of money. Having the HP brand appear in unexpected places helped the brand generate 42% awareness in only 3 months.