Histallay Brings the Emotional Toll of Hay Fever to Life in Humorous Campaign

When your closest friend (in this case, a cat) doesn't even show you sympathy over your hayfever, you know there’s a problem.

In its first campaign for Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories’ new hayfever relief brand, Histallay, since being appointed to the business, TBWA\London has set out to create a meaningful impact by acknowledging and validating the experiences of hayfever sufferers. Rather than play off the problems and impact of allergens themselves, the campaign aims to bring to life the emotional toll of hayfever in a humorous and relatable way.

Just like Sarah, the protagonist in the work, hayfever sufferers are often told to “pull themselves together” or that it's “just a case of the sniffles”, being forced to get on with their lives and making it feel like the world just doesn't care. But just like the man on the bus who offers Sarah his pack of Histallay, the campaign connects with Dr. Reddy’s aspiration to show sufferers that it cares.

This approach is encapsulated in the work’s endline: “What a relief.” 

Fexofenadine (120 mg), the UK’s most prescribed antihistamine, is now prescription-free and available at pharmacies and supermarkets by Histallay. Through the launch campaign, Dr. Reddy’s not only wants to highlight the physical symptoms of the condition but also recognises the emotional distress created by societal indifference. It also shows the brand’s connection with consumers in helping them manage and take control of their allergies effectively.

Sarah, resplendent with sore red eyes and bulbous nose, is in the grips of hayfever, isolated by her symptoms and in obvious discomfort. As her day progresses, filled with sneezes and sniffles, Sarah increasingly feels her struggles are brushed off by those around her with casual, disparaging remarks. Not even her cat can offer any sympathy. Relief finally comes aboard a bus, as a fellow traveller recommends Histallay, which transforms her life.

The campaign launched 29th May across TV, radio, digital channels, with OOH due later in the season. The launch was also supported by a timely print execution in last Friday’s Evening Standard. With a nod to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show that opened on 21st May, the ad depicts varieties of flowers in the style of a Victorian encyclopaedia, complete with Latin names alluding to common hayfever symptoms. Histallay is presented as the way for sufferers to ‘enjoy flowers for hours’ at this year’s show.

Andy Jex, chief creative officer at TBWA\London, said, “The hayfever category is full of products banging on about multiple functional benefits. I say products and not brands because if all you have is functional benefits you don’t truly have a brand. Our job, together with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, is to build the Histallay brand by connecting with sufferers emotionally. The fundamental to our approach isn’t just knowing how sufferers feel but how much worse they feel when the world dismisses their condition as just a case of the sniffles.”

Histallay is a product of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, and the launch marked the company’s first entry into the UK’s consumer health market. Headquartered in India, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd., is a global pharmaceutical company that is committed to providing access to affordable and innovative medicines in keeping with its purpose of 'Good Health Can't Wait, while also setting the highest standards in ESG (Environment, Social and Governance). TBWA\London has been appointed as the creative agency for hayfever relief brand Histallay by Dr. Reddy’s for the UK.