We invest a lot in creating patient awareness: Amit Raheja

ONETOUCH launched a single ad campaign with Boman Irani and Simone Singh in the month of March. The gentle banter between the husband and wife captured the consumers’ imagination and delivered the expected RoI both in terms of tangibles and intangibles. Hence, now Johnson & Johnson has taken the campaign forward. The second phase of campaign, created by Lowe Lintas, hit the tube earlier this month with a series of three new commercials.

Though it is the same couple, and same treatment – the ads now convey the message ‘Khud ki care’ more powerfully.

While diabetes is a common ailment in India, it is perhaps for the first time that a brand has opted for an aggressive multimedia campaign to awaken the Indian diabetic and pre-diabetic population. Amit Raheja, Franchise Director, Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Solutions India, states, “Diabetes in India has become one of the major health worries. It has become a key concern for the Government of India. According to a recent study, about 65 million Indians are affected by Diabetes and only about 10% of the patients are aware of their sugar levels. It is dramatically low number when you compare it with other countries. Diabetes brings along a lot of health issues and Indians need to take it far more seriously.”

He emphasises that only way Diabetes can be kept under control is by checking blood sugar levels regularly - it compels the patients to take appropriate steps in controlling the disease.

A bit about the device here, it is easy to carry, accurate, easy to use and gives result in five seconds flat. The objective of introducing it in the Indian market was to help consumers in managing diabetes and to make the procedure as simple as possible.

Coming back to the campaign, it seeks to educate customers on regulating and modifying their life style.

Raheja states, “We invest a lot in creating patient awareness and therefore we believe that it’s our responsibility to communicate to our patients. Health advertisements are not very common on television.”

If one sees diabetes awareness campaign on any platform it generally seeks to evoke fear in the mind of the patient. This campaign has consciously taken a different route and kept it to a light hearted banter between the couple. Raheja says, “We believe that this is not only relevant to our target group but will also send the message very effectively to our target market.”

The brand’s objective while crystallising this commercial was to create a light hearted campaign, and not to make the consumers panic stricken. Boman Irani and Simone Singh, as per Raheja, are perfect fit for the brand due to their own personalities and imagery associated with them. He elucidates, “Boman Irani really helps us to relate to our target audience which is really the middle age group, professionals as well as homemakers. He lends credibility to the brand. Simone Singh too is a known face.” He adds, “Boman, as a not very disciplined patient and Simone Singh as his concerned wife succeed in touching a chord with Indian patients.”

Ads in this multimedia campaign seek to bring a lifestyle change in the life of diabetics and hence Boman Irani is seen skipping, doing crunches and having tea without sugar under the watchful eye of his doting wife. Raheja says, “Focal point of this campaign is to make patients insure that diabetes is managed and is under control.”

Besides television, the brand is also using digital aggressively as a number of consumers now go online not only to look for information but also to purchase products. Raheja says, “We have, in fact, started our online channel on ONETOUCH to provide customers a trusted source to purchase the product online. We also have a lot of information on diabetes and its complications on our website. We are also on Facebook as well as You Tube.”

J&J is happy with the awareness the brand has created. As per Raheja, the first round of campaign helped in increasing brand awareness by almost 50% which is almost unheard of. Its online presence also got a lot of attention. Says Raheja, “The initial response has been beyond our expectations. We are confident that this round of campaign will help our brand in achieving our goal and communicate our message very effectively to our customers.”

Johnson & Johnson has, however, taken the Diabetes awareness programme beyond ATL. It is conducting on-ground activities like educating health care practitioners and others who are involved in assuring that diabetes is manageable and can be controlled. It is also working with Government bodies.

It has also started Customer Relationship Management Centre. Not only can a customer purchase product through it, but can also learn how to use the product and to take advice on day to day diabetes management.

The campaign charms its way into the consumers’ heart. Diabetics and pre-diabetics know the criticality of tracking sugar levels at regular intervals to manage it well. However, the thought is pushed to a corner –and life continues till something untoward happens. The ONETOUCH campaign awakening the consumer to the need of diabetes management is not only an effective brand communication, but in fact, an excellent health consciousness campaign as well.
 

zeba@adgully.com

Marketing
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