Canker sores —the mouth problem nobody wants to discuss until... ouch. When Blistex’s Kank-A started slipping from consumer radar, Brunner knew they needed more than just another medicine ad. Enter Hank the Cranky Canker Sore—equal parts gross and lovable, turning an awkward health issue into genuinely entertaining storytelling. Sometimes the best creative comes from embracing exactly what everyone else avoids.

By: Dan Magdich, VP, Executive Creative Director, Brunner 

Some categories don’t get talked about until you need them. Canker sores are one of those. When Blistex asked Brunner to revive Kank-A after years of slipping sales, we knew more media wouldn’t fix a low-interest problem. We needed people to look, listen, and remember—without dodging the icky reality. 

Enter Hank, the Cranky Canker Sore. He’s a little gross, a lot lovable, and the kind of character who makes an uncomfortable topic feel human. Through simple, friendly storytelling, Hank explains what Kank-A does and why it works, turning benefits into an easy “aha.” He also gives the brand an ownable mnemonic—once you meet Hank, you don’t forget him. 

The impact was real. Household penetration grew 18%. Dollar share rose 0.2 points, and unit share 0.3—small numbers that matter in OTC. Creativity didn’t just entertain; it performed. The campaign was a finalist for Kantar’s North American Creative Effectiveness Awards 2025, ranking among the top performers in both creativity and effectiveness; only about 10% of thousands of ads tested make finalist.

In Kantar Link+ testing, the work scored in the 93rd percentile for short-term sales/effects likelihood and the 99th percentile for Demand Power Contribution, signaling strong long-term brand-building power, especially across digital video. 

Most telling is what people said back. One viewer put it simply: “I love the cartoon and the explanation of how the product works—it made me want to look for this next time I shop.” 

Special shoutout to MAKE—Brunner’s creative collaborators—who animated Hank and brought his gross-charming personality to life on screen. Their craft turned education into entertainment and helped Kank-A feel unmistakably human. 

In a category people ignore until pain hits, Hank proved a simple truth: when you treat people like people—acknowledging the cringe, offering a smile, and clearly showing how you help—attention follows, and so does growth. 

Brunner is a leading independent, integrated marketing agency that is proud to have Good People Creating Great Work for Our Clients. We always put our people first and have the integrity to do the right thing for the people we serve. The philosophy of supporting and working with good people is the cornerstone of how we develop iconic, nimble, and impactful marketing solutions for our clients. Brunner’s broad client portfolio includes notable national brands like Aerie, Church’s Texas Chicken, Great Southern Wood Preserving, Mitsubishi North America, and WesBanco Bank, among others. Brunner is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, with additional offices in Atlanta, GA.

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