Integrated campaign drives up market share

Elshe Naude, Bioplus brand manager, says the campaign resulted in the brand's market share, as rated by IMS, increasing from 14.6% to 21.3% in just three months during the promotion that ran between September and November 2009.

"Through the use of new media technology, cellular and web-based elements actively supported by billboards, in-store and to a lesser degree above-the-line TV and radio, the campaign aimed to increase brand awareness and loyalty as well as create awareness through education of the benefits of vitamin tonics as an aid to increased health, well-being and performance."

Youth market

"As learners are a core target market for Bioplus, the onset of end of year examinations is the right time to promote the use of vitamin tonics that give an instant boost to physical performance and mental vitality," she says.

Recognising the high use and popularity of cellphones and the Internet among the youth, Naude says the fun-orientated campaign made use of outdoor advertising to create brand awareness by encouraging consumers to enter a competition using SMS or through web-based entries promoted by in-store POS supported by TV and radio to drive traffic to the site.

"In keeping with the overall campaign messaging about making something ordinary extraordinary, consumers were invited to SMS a key word featured on several billboards, following which they were sent an MMS video clip showing the first picture they saw, but only enhanced in a more interesting and funny way. For example, when the word 'bounce' was sent via SMS, the ordinary picture of a ball was transformed into a chicken on a trampoline," she says.

Competition adds to activity

Radio and television activity as well as in-store POS drove listeners to the website, where by applying the mind and exerting a little mental vitality, visitors could enter the competition for a chance to win the R3000 daily prize.

"The success of this approach was born out by the web statistics, where we saw a significant increase in the number of unique visitors to the Bioplus website," she says. "From a low of 318 in September, this rocketed to a peak of almost 3200 midway through the campaign, with subsequent months maintaining the growth in hits."