Marketing Situation And Marketing Goals
The market of customer health care (over-the-counter sale) in the segment of Cold & Cough shows a regular yearly growth (105.9% in comparison of 2001 to 2000).
Marketing Situation
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in the category of multisymptomatic preparations exists a group which is directly intended for the alleviation of flu and cold symptoms
- COLDREX 37 %, MODAFEN 13 %, NUROFEN StopGrip 12 %
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at the same time preparations which relieve from pain and decrease fever are used in case of cold
- PARALEN®, ACYLPIRYN, PANADOL
- PARALEN® is perceived as one of the most popular preparations in the treatment of cold, but also of headache, backache and toothache
- The main competitor is COLDREX
- A partial cannibalization of Leciva, a.s. (now Zentiva) preparations is expected - PARALEN® and MODAFEN
- PARALEN® is the most optimal preparation of the second choice for all, including the consumer-profiled groups
PARALEN® PLUS is a combined preparation, which suppresses at the same time several symptoms of cold and which contains three active substances. Paracetamol decreases high temperature and relieves from pain, pseudoefedrin helps to suppress the swelling of mucous membrane and decreases its tumescence, by which it eases the removal of secretions from the cavities and the purification of the upper air passage, and dextromethorfan suppresses dry cough. The effect of this substance is fast and lasts between four and six hours. The antitussive effect is comparable to codein, but dextromethorfan has no analgetic effects and is not addictive.
The goal of the introduction campaign of the preparation PARALEN® PLUS was
- To launch the new pharmaceutical preparation against cold PARALEN® PLUS on the customer health care market (over-the-counter sale) in the Czech Republic
- To introduce PARALEN® PLUS as an especially effective combination for the suppression of the symptoms of cold - running nose and cough
- To gain the planned market share in the market of products against cold in the segment of pharmacies
- To enhance the position of Leciva, a.s. (now Zentiva) in the customer health care market (ove-the-counter sale)
The main communication goal of the campaign consisted in introducing a new product for the treatment of cold, in emphasizing its benefits in comparison with competition (antitussive effects, complete suppression of the symptoms of cold and its price), in distinguishing the specialized PARALEN® PLUS from the traditional PARALEN, which is perceived as a pain reliever and in distinguishing PARALEN® PLUS as the medicament against cold from the stronger preparation against flu MODAFEN.
Target Group
The strategy was executed as a nationwide introductory campaign with the aim of general impact on the target group of all the population 18+, with the focus on women - the ratio of 55% : 45%.
Communication Strategy
The basis of the campaign was a media mix (TV + print), complemented by sales promotion at pharmacies (sales representative, layout of shop windows in selected pharmacies).
Television was chosen as the main communication channel and supported in print media (professional press, magazines for general public).
The campaign was drafted in two levels. On launching the product there was a PR campaign which was to prepare the ground for a successful launch.
The PR campaign explained the difference in the symptoms of cold and flu, drew the attention to a safe and a reliable solution and introduced PARALEN® PLUS as a modern medicament with a reliable effect, well accepted by the body.
The product campaign drew on the PR campaign and showed through TV and print media a new product, its benefits and the slogan, which is related to the product.
Communication with a pharmacist and at a point-of-sale was an inseparable part of the campaign.
The sales representatives of Leciva, a.s. (now Zentiva) were give presentation materials, thanks to which the representatives of individual pharmacies became acquainted with the new preparation PARALEN® PLUS. The presentation of planned sales promotion activities was an inherent part of this process.
A stand, which revealed the novelty and presented the product and its effect, including the slogan, was produced as the main local holder for the layout of pharmacies.
PARALEN PLUS - you´ve found the remedy for cold and cough!
(in Czech it makes a rhyme)
Creative Strategy
The strategy draws on the character of the product and its composition. PARALEN® PLUS is a preparation with multi-symptomatic effects, which affects more symptoms.
The goal of the creative strategy consisted in showing the new preparation PARALEN® PLUS originally (differently from competition), remarkably (easily to remember), aptly (identification with the communication message) and convincingly.
The basic visual - the guide - is the dog called Dustin, who looks forward to a walk. But the walk is endangered owing to his master´s cold. Because the dog is smart, he shows his master the solution of his problem - of the cold.
Because the preparation PARALEN® PLUS is reliable, the master gets better quickly and walks the dog as planned before.
Media Strategy
Owing to the necessity of creating the awareness of a specialized preparation PARALEN® PLUS and of arousing the interest in buying it as a preparation against cold and cough (PARALEN® stands in the contrary), the media strategy utilizes predominantly TV. The TV campaign was formed by fifteen- and thirty-second TV spots, which made up about 70% of the financial volume of the campaign.
The TV campaign was complemented by print advertising, which was designed in an untraditional way. A „panorama" was used for the presentation, i.e. bedlog across both pages of the print medium.
The goal of the press campaign consisted in familiarizing the target group with the new preparation PARALEN® PLUS and in showing its triple effect (against running nose, cough and headache).
The creativity utilizes motifs from the TV spot - they are prepared as film frames.
Results
In 2001 (the campaign was executed in the period of November-December) the preparation PARALEN® PLUS acquired a market share of 2.8% on the Cough & Cold market and 96% of the sales plan was reached (not meeting the plan fully was caused by the launch in November, whereas the original term was determined for October). In the period of January-May 2002 there was a drop on the Cough & Cold market by about 6% (in comparison with the same period of 2001) due to the absence of flu epidemia. In spite of this the market share of the preparation grew to the total of 13%.