the situation
Since last year's launch of alli - the only FDA-approved, over-the-counter weight-loss drug - GSK's myalli.com has gone from being a newcomer to being one of the leaders in the category. Millions of visitors have come to myalli.com seeking expert information about alli and its comprehensive support program, myalliplan. While professional advice and expert info are certainly valued as a foundation for weight-loss success, what dieters really want to hear is what other dieters have to say. This kind of real-world support is crucial to weight-loss success. And although peer communication had been available to alli customers through message boards and real allistories, there was no single place for users to gather for the support, information and inspiration they were looking for - or to truly get to know one another.

the solution
allicircles - an online community that enables consumers to give and receive the support they need, and to connect with one another in a very real way, through member profiles, real allistories, message boards, and the circles.

member profiles
In their profiles, allicircles members can upload photos of themselves or select icons to represent them. They can also quickly populate their profile with a list of self-selected "about me" words and phrases to share. In addition to personal insights, allicircles profiles can display weight-loss stats, real allistory submissions and message board activity.

real allistories
Personal stories are one of the best sources of inspiration out there - whether it's a story of success that makes someone believe they can do it too or a weight-loss experience they can relate to. Every member of allicircles has the opportunity to share their real allistory. Since allicircles launched, there has been a 58% increase in the number of real allistories posted per day.

message boards
The alli message boards continue to be the most active area of the site. There, members can post questions and receive answers from expert moderators and other members, post updates and receive the kudos they need to help get them through, and leave messages of challenge or inspiration to keep allicircles members fired up on their weight-loss journey. Whether they are just starting alli, facing challenges along the way or celebrating success, support is there every step of the way. Since the launch of allicircles, the site has seen a 4% increase in message board postings. This increase is significant, since it is happening at a time of year when there is usually a noticeable drop off in message board activity (consumers aren't as focused on dieting as other times of the year, such as the New Year or before the summer). Here are a few favorite message board posts:
 
      Discouraged
      May I Just Say How Much I LOVE this Message Board?
      There is no going back now, I donated all of my fat clothes

the circles
With so many members and so much information to be shared, members need a way to pull it all together - that's where the circles come in. As members read stories and posts, they can identify which members they relate with most and add them to their circle. This not only makes it easy for members to access their favorites, but the updates posted on their homepage allow them to quickly scan what's going on in their circle.