Results and Effectiveness

Skelan established an 8% market share (units) by the end of 2008 as compared to holding 0% the previous year, outdoing marketing objectives of 5% market share growth for that period. The Skelan brand experienced a surge in drugstore sales’ month over month average growth, reversing a trend of a -50% decrease during the pre-launch period in May to August 2008 to a +215% increase during the campaign period of September to December 2008. An estimated 22,582,500 churchgoers (est. 225,825 churchgoers per Sunday) were exposed to the brand and had a chance to experience it.

Creative Execution

Armed with the insight that experience was key to driving consumer choice, Skelan set out to join the Sunday social “dance card” – literally. The brand pioneered nationwide Sunday after-church dance exercise events – dubbed “dancercises” – on the grounds of the most attended churches nationwide. Dancing to the tune of Skelan’s chart-topping exercise song “Ayos na ang buto-buto!” consumers gathered to practice dance and exercise moves with the help of guidance from physical therapists. Coupled with on-site medical consultation for seniors at the events, Skelan generated trial and experience through massive brand interaction.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Naproxen Sodium Skelan (220 mg) was a new entrant in the already cluttered over-the-counter arthritis relief medicine category, bringing a refreshing, uplifting promise of “Ayos na ang buto-buto!” (“My joints are alright, everything’s alright!”) to arthritis pain sufferers in the Philippines market. With a plethora of options readily available to the target – consumers over the age of 45, the majority of whom are retired seniors – becoming the brand of choice for relief from arthritis pain was reliant on consumers’ opportunity for brand trial and experience. In a country that is 90% Catholic, the cornerstone of these consumers’ social calendar is their Sunday ritual of church attendance. They regularly gather with their friends and acquaintances after church services to mingle and gossip with one another. We needed to deliver Skelan’s “can do” attitude to the masses and provide them with an interactive opportunity to experience the lifestyle benefits of the brand.