Cognizin®: The Tap-Test That Made Science a Sport at SXSW.
Client
Cognizin® (Kyowa Hakko)
Service
Experiential Communications
Industry
Wellness
Impact
New Category: Gaming Performance
"How do you make a clinically studied ingredient relevant, engaging and memorable - without compromising scientific credibility? You turn the science into a sport."
The Challenge
Kyowa Hakko wanted to expand awareness of Cognizin® through a fresh, unexpected approach that aligned with its science while remaining within strict regulatory guidelines. The challenge: how do you make a clinically studied ingredient relevant, engaging, and memorable for a new audience without compromising scientific credibility? ADIN found the opportunity by revisiting a Cognizin® clinical study - and connecting its findings on attention and motor speed to the rapidly growing world of competitive gaming.
The Insight
Gamers are constantly seeking ways to improve focus, reaction time, and performance. ADIN recognized an opportunity to bring Cognizin® science to life by recreating elements of the research in a live, competitive environment - connecting with an emerging audience hungry for performance-driven solutions, and entering the category before competitors.
The Strategy - The Cognizin® Tap Test
ADIN created the Cognizin® Tap Test, a live, gaming-inspired competition designed to demonstrate the science behind the ingredient in an interactive way. Contestants competed head-to-head to test their motor skills and reaction performance, advancing through rounds to the finals. The competition became a major attraction, with attendees lining up throughout the show to participate, learn about Cognizin®, and experience products featuring the ingredient. The integrated campaign spanned creative concept and experiential strategy, booth design and collateral, SXSW logistics and event management, a major influencer partnership, live competition management, customer-partnership activation, and media outreach.
The Results
The activation secured high-value industry media coverage, including NutraIngredients USA; translated complex ingredient science into an engaging consumer experience; introduced Cognizin® to a new, highly relevant audience without compromising regulatory integrity; and established Cognizin® as a forward-thinking branded-ingredient leader in the emerging gaming-performance category.
Business Impact
The SXSW Gaming activation helped put Cognizin® and its customer brands on the map within a rapidly evolving performance market. By identifying an emerging cultural trend and connecting it to validated science, ADIN positioned Cognizin® as an innovative ingredient with both credibility and consumer appeal - driving interest among supplement and beverage brands seeking differentiated, science-backed ingredients for cognitive performance.
Experiential strategy, booth design, influencer amplification, live competition management, customer activation, and media outreach at the SXSW Gaming Expo.
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