Faced with fast-changing market trends and shifting consumer behavior, Hirudoid went through a brand refresh while adopting digitalization to stay relevant in Hong Kong.
There are three products under Hirudoid brand: Hirudoid Cream, Hirudoid Forte Cream, and Hirudoid Forte Veni Leg Care Lotion. They are generally used to treat bruises and varicose veins. In Hong Kong, it can be obtained from doctors or purchased from leading retail outlets, grocery stores, convenience stores, medicine shops, and pharmacies.
Challenge
The product needed to expand its market reach and refresh its brand awareness campaigns to compete with the fast-changing market trends and consumer behavior, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The brand owner was also keen on taking advantage of the digital tools and channels available in the market to show that the brand continues to be relevant to its target consumers. They believed that there were unexplored market segments and undeveloped marketing channels for the brand to venture into.
Approach
Following thorough research conducted on the target market’s consumer behavior and available promotional channels, we decide to focus on redefining the product application in the market.
We also developed a new marketing campaign and digital channels for a better synergy between traditional marketing channels and digital marketing platforms. In the past, traditional marketing accounted for more than 70 percent of the marketing budget.
The new hybrid version adopted was 50 percent traditional and 40 percent digital, plus 10 percent below-the-line promotions. New channels, including, YouTube, Google Ad, and SEO tools were adopted. We leveraged social media platforms and used influencers and celebrities as brand ambassadors to promote the brand.
Result
By expanding from only focusing on the elderly previously, the added consumer of younger population and women consumers helped reshape the brand’s positioning in the market. Hirudoid was able to explore new market segments that were previously not given much emphasis.
With a refreshed brand and expanded consumer segments, the brand achieved increased sales growth. Its hybrid marketing approach on both traditional marketing and digital platforms also helped increase the brand’s presence significantly. Based on a product survey conducted by the team following the new campaigns, 94 percent responded that the digital video broadcasted on the new channel successfully attracted their attention and will likely continue to purchase the product in the future.