Client: Knoll Pharmaceuticals

Challenge: A consumer public relations program "Take Control" for Knoll Pharmaceuticals' Meridia. Spokesperson conveyed the message to overweight adults who have tried unsuccessfully to lose weight to "take control" by using Meridia under the supervision of their physician and promote a toll free number, available only through this program, providing additional product information.

Candidate Profile: A celebrity who was highly recognizable, more than 35 pounds over the medically desired weight, with no ties to any commercial weight loss or diet programs, who would provide personal input as to the personal struggle of weight loss.

celebrityFOCUS Solution: Michael Badalucco, who appears as Jimmy Berluti in the hit television show The Practice, who has also appeared in various movies and television productions.

Communications Program: Two consecutive workdays of various media activities, including more than 15 media interviews with television network affiliates, independent stations and/or national media outlets, a satellite media tour

Results: The goal of 15,000 calls to a toll-free number requesting product information was exceeded by over 10,000 calls.