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Multiple category leading brands has resulted in brands from Haleon’s diverse portfolio becoming household names synonymous in their respective categories. For example, if one were to look at the pain and respiratory category, the British consumer healthcare firm has legacy brands such as Iodex, Crocin, Otrivin amongst others in its kitty.
Pavan Wani, Category Lead - Pain & Respiratory, Haleon ISC relates the challenges operating in the OTC space and its strategy to focus on three key pillars: reinforcing brand trust, offering superior solutions, and enhancing consumer engagement.
Wani also speaks on the how Haleon ensures year-round visibility, the importance of driving education to bust myths, the launch of new products/variants, how the organisation works on products that help to improve the quality of consumer lives and more.
Advertising medicines/drugs is heavily regulated in India. However, you operate in the OTC space. What are the challenges that you face when it comes to business and marketing?
When it comes to the health of the public, regulations are required to ensure that the right, factually correct information goes out to consumers, and that is why this space is a heavily regulated one. As an organisation, we have always relied on the power of reliable, tested and effective solutions that provide what they preach – and we have the same approach when it comes to operating in the OTC space today as well.
At Haleon, we focus on building brand trust through educational campaigns that address common health concerns and empower consumers to make informed choices. We leverage digital platforms to disseminate accurate information about symptoms, self-care practices, and the appropriate use of our products. By listening to and understanding our consumers and their varying problems, we curate customised marketing messages to be in the right place at the right time.
Iodex and Crocin are the legacy brands in the Indian context, probably the first name that comes to mind when it comes to a pain relief solution and a paracetamol. What is the differentiator that keeps you apart from competition?
Yes, Iodex and Crocin have earned a unique place in the Indian healthcare landscape, becoming household names synonymous with everyday pain relief, headache, cold & flu symptoms. Our enduring success stems from a deep understanding of the Indian consumer and a commitment to providing reliable, accessible solutions.
Our strategy focuses on three key pillars: reinforcing brand trust, offering superior solutions, and enhancing consumer engagement. We will continue to invest in quality manufacturing, rigorous testing, and responsible marketing to ensure that our products remain the gold standard for efficacy and safety.
We also actively explore new formulations and delivery formats to address unmet needs and cater to evolving consumer preferences. This includes research into targeted pain relief solutions and superior science backed formulations.
How do the brands maintain year-round visibility during different seasons?
Maintaining year-round visibility requires a multi-faceted approach that goes beyond seasonal promotions. We focus on building a consistent brand presence through a combination of strategic marketing initiatives and continuous consumer engagement.
Recently Iodex launched a community led initiative in Maharashtra focusing on celebrating women who push past pain to achieve their dreams. We engaged with 4,58,000 women across 9 cities and tried to bring forth some of their real-life achievements via print, on ground and outdoor mediums. Iodex was also present at the Maha Kumbh and forged deep connections with 5,00,000 pilgrims by helping relieve the physical strain of long-distance travel and ensuring they experience comfort and relief throughout their journey via their Massage Shivirs. We have also relied on sports marketing to maintain year-round visibility, with Rishabh Pant as our brand ambassador since his re-entry into cricket since late 2023.
Another way to remain relevant to one’s consumers is to constantly innovate to meet their evolving needs. The launch of our latest innovation, Iodex Active Muscle Care, is a testament to our commitment to deeply understanding our consumers’ needs. The first-of-its-kind cream with 4 active ingredients, is aimed at alleviating muscle soreness from the rigour of everyday life.
How the category drives education and busts myths with consumers?
Driving education and busting myths requires a concerted effort to empower consumers with accurate information and dispel misleading beliefs. We approach this challenge through a combination of evidence-based communication, engaging content, and strategic partnerships.
We invest in developing educational materials that address common health concerns and provide clear, concise information about symptoms, causes, and treatment options. Misinformation and misleading claims are actively tackled by debunking common myths and misconceptions. We leverage social media platforms and online forums to address consumer queries and provide evidence-based answers. We also actively engage with experts to understand the latest trends and consumer need gaps. This helps us identify any gaps we may tackle in terms of consumer education.
By combining these strategies, we strive to create a more informed and empowered consumer base that can make responsible decisions about their health.
How has the year panned out for the pain and respiratory category with the recent launches like Otrivin Advance, Iodex Muscle care, etc? What has the growth been and strategy behind these launches?
As an organisation, we believe in always putting the consumers first and work on products that help improve the quality of their lives. This has been strategy behind our recent launches – Otrivin Advance, Iodex muscle care. Otrivin Advance with its technologically advance pump ensures accurate and uniform mist spray every time while greatly improving the comfort in use. Similarly, with Iodex Muscle Care – we are addressing an otherwise ignored space of muscle soreness. With a superior cream balm format – and power of 4 actives – this product helps tackle day to day muscle pains effectively.
Looking ahead, what can we expect?
With increasing number of consumers adapting proactive health management, the importance of OTC is on upwards rise. We believe that with Haleon’s consumer centric focus and the right mix of science and trust – our brands are poised to have an edge.
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