Social Media Campaign Review: Ranbaxy Pepfiz Facebook Contest

When Indian pharma major Ranbaxy wants to reinvent it advertising strategy where does it begin its reinvention?  Social media is the place to look at and Ranbaxy with its Pepfiz India’s biggest Foodies Contest on Facebook has jumped on to the social media bandwagon.

Objective

The objective of the contest is to make the brand's presence felt on Facebook while capitalizing on stomach problems most of us experience in summer.  The campaign aims at adding the cool quotient to Pepfiz, one of Ranbaxy’s flagship products which it had launched in September 2002, with three other OTC products - Revital, Garlic Pearls, and Gesdyp.

Execution

The Contest, hosted on a Facebook page is executed through a Facebook app specifically designed for this purpose.  To participate you have to first “Like” the page on Facebook.  Next up, the app requests permission to access your public profile, friend list and email; this can be off-putting if you don’t want to share that information.

You have to answer about twelve questions which revolve around food (what else?  It is India’s biggest foodies contest after all!).  At the end, your score pops up on the screen and you can either choose to replay or invite friends to play.

The contest is expected to run from 12-30^th April, 2013.

Positives

As far as timing goes I think the campaign is well timed.  Summer in India often means loads of cool nimbu pani at the stall down the road, the urge to grab a kulfi or  an ice candy from the cart outside your office or home.  While all this might quench your thirst and tickle your taste buds too it might just lead to indigestion.  Add to that the number of festivals and weddings we celebrate in summer and Indians could have a whole lot of stomach woes to deal with.

It is also an endeavor to turn around Pepfiz which hitherto the company has simply marketed and promoted as the solution to indigestion, acidity and gas, not one but three problems, in to a social brand.  A refreshing change for the brand which until now was promoted only through simple print and ">some television ads.

The app is well designed and navigation is easy.

Scope for Improvement

I tried very hard to look for the prize on offer, but I just couldn’t find it!  Apart from the obvious title of India’s biggest foodie, I think people would be more engaged and encouraged to participate if they knew what the prize was.

An offline endeavour like free giveaways of Pepfiz might just make people sit up and take notice perhaps?

Conclusion

Overall, the contest is in-line with the brand image which essentially is a solution for digestive problems.  It is also about working towards building market share by getting out there on Facebook.

According to industry representatives, the gas and acidity market is worth several crores in the country and seasoned players in this segment include Digene, Gelusil and Eno, so this contest makes sense from the point of view of reaching out to many people.

With this Facebook contest Ranbaxy has worked to add that social edge to its promotional campaign and has timed it well. However, engagement goes beyond a well designed app, an aspect the brand might want to work on.