The PEPCID® Tastemakers campaign started in 2014 to give the heartburn medication a right to play in niche foodie culture. Today, it has evolved to a holistic program that encourages food lovers everywhere to dig in without the fear of heartburn, no matter where they are on their culinary journey. Building upon its success of reaching and engaging consumers on social media, in 2016 the program will extend to the brand’s new Instagram channel (@PEPCID) to provide another unique touch point for the ever-expanding excitement surrounding PEPCID®Tastemakers.
This year’s platform, Celebrating Local Eats, will bring together notable celebrity and media partners to create exciting food content and events for PEPCID® consumers. TV sitcom star, Los Angeles restaurant owner, and heartburn sufferer Jesse Tyler Ferguson will be the brand’s spokesperson kicking off this initiative. Additionally, a new digital partnership with leading culinary website Tasting Table will inspire and reward food enthusiasts who uncover the best local flavors and food gems.
“Through our evolving PEPCID® Tastemakers campaign, we’re able to forge strong relationships with our consumers who are die-hard food lovers and also heartburn sufferers,” said Jennifer Cullen, Director of Marketing at Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division. “As a brand, we stand for so much more than simply an effective heartburn solution, and we strive to reach consumers at all points in their culinary journeys – from whipping up a family’s secret recipe to stopping by their favorite local restaurant.”
To share local eats content nationally, PEPCID® and Tasting Table will take readers through local restaurants and recipes in major food cities, which will be documented by tastemakers hand-picked by Tasting Table editors, including San Francisco chef Michael Mina and Philadelphia food photographer Neal Santos. For the first time, restaurant discovery app DINE by Tasting Table will feature PEPCID®-branded lists of local dining options curated by these tastemakers, with options ranging from upscale restaurants to grab-and-go counters and cafes. This is the first time the Tasting Table property has partnered with an over-the-counter brand and is one of the site’s most robust multi-channel native campaigns to date.
In addition to the interactive food experience on Tasting Table, local tastemakers will curate personalized, local content for the newly-launched @PEPCID Instagram channel from April through July. The content will give @PEPCID followers a behind-the-scenes look at each city’s food scene and culture, including snapshots of the tastemakers’ favorite local restaurants, diners and everything in between.
“As the PEPCID® brand furthers its mission of enabling consumers to enjoy their culinary adventures without the fear of heartburn, we’ve noticed that in parallel, the food industry has ignited with new trends in enjoying great food locally,” said Sheri Keiles, U.S. Consumer Brand Communications Leader at Johnson & Johnson. “This year’s PEPCID® Tastemakers program will celebrate local food journeys by not only capitalizing on current market trends but also by touching our consumers at all parts of their everyday dining experiences and becoming a source of exclusive food content that we know our fans crave.”
To increase national reach, the program will launch the PEPCID® Tastemakers Celebrating Local Eats contest1 on Facebook and Instagram. From May 2 through July 10, 2016, the brand will recognize and reward with a $250 cash card, five everyday tastemakers who share the best photos of local twists on staple dishes. One grand prize winner, chosen by Ferguson, will win a trip for two to New York City and a $500 cash card to taste the city’s most unique flavors.
To learn more and follow the PEPCID® Tastemakers Celebrating Local Eats program, visit TastingTable.com/Pepcid or the PEPCID® Facebookand Instagram pages.
About the PEPCID® Brand
PEPCID® products start working fast and offer uncompromising relief that lasts. With a range of products, PEPCID® products work by reducing the stomach acid that causes heartburn. PEPCID COMPLETE® is a dual-action product that combines an antacid with an acid reducer. As a result, it starts working in seconds and lasts all day or all night.2 PEPCID AC® can be taken before a meal to prevent heartburn or after heartburn strikes to provide relief. PEPCID AC® is available in two strengths, Original and Maximum Strength, and also lasts all day or all night.2
ABOUT TASTING TABLE
Tasting Table is the award-winning digital media company for savvy food and drink enthusiasts. TT tours the world of food and drink with the people who shape it—from chefs to mixologists, artisans to international tastemakers and beyond. TT’s daily mission is to inspire its smart, stylish community of 8+ million epicureans to live deliciously through expert editorial content, lush photography and original video programming across multiple platforms online and off. Visit www.tastingtable.com to join the conversation.
1 NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. OPEN TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES & D.C., 18 YEARS OR OLDER, AND WHO DID NOT PURCHASE ANY EQUIPMENT FOR PURPOSES OF ENTERING THE CONTEST. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Enter Contest by: 11:59 p.m. ET 7/10/16. For Official Rules and prize descriptions, visit www.pepcidtastemakers.com. Sponsor: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division, 7050 Camp Hill Road, Fort Washington, PA 19034.
2 Based on 9-hour acid control studies during the day and 12-hour acid control studies during the night. Acid control does not imply symptom relief.