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Tag: PharmEasy

  • Pharmeasy strikes a chord with a jingle and a punctuality promise

    Pharmeasy strikes a chord with a jingle and a punctuality promise

    MUMBAI: After a three-year hiatus from television, Pharmeasy, the digital healthcare platform has returned to the small screen with a new ad campaign that doubles down on what really matters in diagnostics showing up on time. Anchored by the promise ‘On-Time or free’, the campaign cheekily tackles the agony of fasting blood tests and delayed sample pickups through a pair of punctuality-loving, food-obsessed dancing uncles.

    With its now-iconic jingle (set to the tune of ‘Urvashi Urvashi’) once again echoing “Pharmeasy, Pharmeasy… Take it easy,” the campaign blends nostalgia with a clear call to action: lab tests should be dependable, not a morning-wrecking ordeal.

    In an industry where being fashionably late is frustratingly common, Pharmeasy is throwing down the gauntlet with a punctuality guarantee. Miss the time slot? The test is free. The bold promise is backed by a logistics network spanning over 4000 pin codes and 1900 plus trained phlebotomists and a self-proclaimed 99 per cent plus on-time rate.

    “We kept the tonality of the brand at the centre while working on the campaign, sharply landing the offering, keeping it relevant, relatable and entertaining,” shared Busypeople MadamG founder and creative director Garima Khandelwal.

    “This campaign is a reflection of how far we’ve come in our journey of simplifying healthcare and making it truly accessible and dependable for every Indian. Diagnostic testing is a sensitive experience – fasting is tough, but waiting shouldn’t be. Our promise is simple: you pick the time slot, we’ll be there. If we’re late, your test is on us”, said API Holdings MD & CEO Siddharth Shah.

    Pharmeasy (API Holdings) chief business officer, Gaurav Verma said, “When you are fasting and waiting for a blood test to be done, every minute feels like an hour.  We built this feature from a deep understanding of that frustration. You’ve done your part—waking up early, skipping breakfast. The least we can do is show up on time. That’s our way of saying we care.”

    From nostalgic tunes to no-nonsense timing, Pharmeasy’s latest pitch isn’t just about testing, it’s about trust, timing, and turning up when it counts.

  • Brands spark new year fun with witty billboard banter across India

    Brands spark new year fun with witty billboard banter across India

    MUMBAI: Traffic jams just got entertaining: brands are waging wars – not with WhatsApp texts or witty tweets, but with billboards that bite back.

    As you crawl along the road, an eye-catching banner quips, only to be topped the next day by its competitor’s cheeky comeback. The billboards aren’t just advertisements; they’re battlegrounds for banter – a hilarious showdown in the sky.

    In the spirit of 2025’s resolution mania, India’s most iconic brands are trading punches with humour and wit, thanks to Upstox’s ingenious campaign. Forget stale promises – these billboards are serving up financial wisdom, housing goals, and playlist envy with a side of laughs.

    Upstox, a leading wealth management platform, set the tone with its playful message: “Diet me greens add kar diye. Aur green portfolio ka kya?” Encouraging individuals to consider their financial goals for the new year, the billboard quickly caught public attention.

    Other brands followed suit, adding their unique flair to the conversation:

    .  boAt, the audio lifestyle brand, chimed in with a reminder for party hosts:
        “New Year party to rakhli. Par playlist ka kya?”

    .  Asian Paints tapped into aesthetics with a nod to home decor:
        “Apne favourite celebrities ki saari movies dekh li. Lekin unke home decor ka kya?”

    .   Pepperfry highlighted hosting essentials with its clever quip:
        “House Party announce kar diye. Ab extra seating ka kya?”

    .   Yatra, the travel platform, inspired wanderlust with a call to action:
        “Vacation ke sapne dekh liye. Aur booking ka kya?”

    .  OLX encouraged gadget upgrades with practicality:
        “Phone upgrade karna hai? Purane phone ka kya?”

    .  PharmEasy kept health resolutions in focus:
        “New Year party toh karli. Par health resolutions ka kya?”

    .  Bobble AI tapped into relatable texting humour for romantics:
        “Crush ka number mil gaya? Ab texting interesting banane ka kya?”

    The billboard banter seamlessly blended humour, relatability, and creativity, proving how outdoor advertising can spark a vibrant dialogue. Each brand stayed true to its identity while contributing to a shared New Year theme, creating a memorable campaign that resonates with audiences across India.

    As 2025 approaches, this campaign stands as a testament to the role of camaraderie and wit in effective advertising, proving that resolutions may come and go, but great storytelling lasts forever.

  • IBS 2024: The future of marketing in a technology driven world

    IBS 2024: The future of marketing in a technology driven world

    Mumbai: The second edition of the Indian Brand Summit 2024, held in Mumbai, witnessed insightful discussions on how addressable advertising is transforming personalised marketing, the role of data in driving success, and the evolving landscape of OTT platforms and sports marketing. The event also explored the complexities of CTV and highlighted the rise of local brands to national prominence.

    The session titled “The future of marketing in a technology driven world” delved into how marketing is evolving to become more dynamic, personalised, and data-centric. As technology advances, marketers are rethinking their strategies and tools to better connect with consumers. Chaired by Publicis Groupe India’s CEO of digital technology business, Amaresh Godbole, the panel featured HDFC Bank’s SVP – growth marketing & martech, Deepak Oram; Pharmeasy’s Sr VP – growth, Akash Valia; Aditya Birla Capital’s brand head, Mahadev Srivatsa; and MIQ’s head of growth & revenue, Varun Mohan.

    Srivatsa emphasised the real-time capabilities of AI and its disruptive nature, stating, “The effectiveness of AI has shifted from mere delivery to creation, allowing us to better target consumers based on their evolving needs.” He highlighted the increasing availability of AI tools that streamline both the creation and delivery of marketing content, thus enhancing the consumer experience.

    Oram pointed out the critical importance of bridging gaps in customer service through technology. He noted that “consumers today research online before visiting retail stores,” underlining how digital footprints have transformed consumer behavior and marketing strategies. This shift, he explained, requires a more integrated approach, where customer behavior can inform service delivery in real time.

    Valia added a regulatory perspective, acknowledging the balance between technological advancements and compliance in healthcare. He noted that while AI can streamline processes, “the consumer experience must remain efficient,” stressing the importance of adhering to regulations while leveraging technology to enhance service delivery. He elaborated on Pharmeasy’s commitment to improving operational efficiencies, emphasizing the role of technology in expediting the prescription process.

    Mohan discussed the complexities of interpreting data across diverse consumer markets, saying, “Understanding user behavior is critical for effective campaign execution.” He highlighted MIQ’s approach to leveraging data for pre-campaign insights and continuous optimisation during campaign flights, illustrating the need for a data-driven mindset in marketing.

    The session illustrated that as technology continues to evolve, so must the strategies marketers employ to engage consumers effectively. Each panellist highlighted the necessity of adapting to changing consumer behaviors and leveraging innovative solutions to enhance the overall marketing experience.

  • Aamir Khan dons delivery person’s uniform, plays triple role in new PharmEasy ad

    Aamir Khan dons delivery person’s uniform, plays triple role in new PharmEasy ad

    Mumbai: Consumer healthcare app PharmEasy has launched its latest campaign starring the new brand ambassador Aamir Khan in a quirky triple role of a delivery person. This fresh marketing campaign titled 

    #GharBaitheBaitheTakeItEasy was conceptualised and executed by FCB India.

    Comprising of three ad films directed by Abhijit Sudhakar and produced by Zigzag Films, the campaign has Bollywood actor playing a triple role of the PharmEasy delivery person who pops up in the oddest places and in the craziest manner to tell customers about all the offerings from the PharmEasy app and how all that people need to do now is ‘Take It Easy’ when it comes to all their healthcare needs.

    Shedding light on the storytelling, FCB India CCO Surjo Dutt said, “PharmEasy has a very distinct voice and tonality crafted over many years of commitment to disruption through humour. Our challenge was to stay true to this commitment and create a campaign that would take forward this legacy.”

    “The idea was to use Aamir Khan in a funny, unexpected, and effective way to create a campaign that is attempting to bring in many new users to the PharmEasy fold. Hence the triple role and the over-the-top style storytelling was thrown into the blender along with simple and clear benefits that the brand brings into the Indian consumer’s life,” Dutt added.

    Speaking on the collaboration, Aamir Khan said, “It is indeed a pleasure to work together with the PharmEasy brand, to help provide economical healthcare at each person’s doorstep. I feel that in today’s times, PharmEasy is providing an essential service, in a sector that is itself a fundamental requirement for all of us, and I look forward to this association.”

    With this collaboration with Aamir, the brand – managed by API Holdings said it hopes to further strengthen its belief in making healthcare accessible to every nook and corner of the country.

    “Collaborating with someone as versatile as Aamir Khan fills us with immense joy,” API Holdings CMO  Gaurav Verma said, talking about the collaboration. “With this association, we aim to reach more people while making affordable healthcare accessible to everyone. We are looking forward to a great collaboration with him this year and widening our reach through offerings and such campaigns.”

  • PharmEasy parent API Holdings appoints five independent directors

    PharmEasy parent API Holdings appoints five independent directors

    Mumbai: API Holdings Ltd, the parent company of digital healthcare brand PharmEasy, on Monday announced the appointment of five independent directors to its board, in line with the highest standard of corporate governance.  

    The new appointments bring a great amount of cognitive diversity to the board, with luminaries from the world of public service, technology, pharma, medical fraternity, and the consumer sector, the company said in a statement.

    The five new independent directors are: Former revenue secretary Vineeta Rai, Titan Company Ltd retired CFO Subramanian Somasundaram, Livspace founder and COO Ramakant Sharma, Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India secretary general Jaydeep Tank and private equity veteran Deepak Vaidya.

    “We are delighted to welcome such eminent personalities to our board. This is yet another step in our journey of being the best in class of corporate governance and lead the way for times to come,” said API Holdings co-founder & CEO Siddharth Shah. “The diversity will help us provide integrated, digital healthcare solution across the length and breadth of India benefiting all stakeholders.”

    “With the diverse experience of our board, our platforms will continue to significantly invest to improve access to affordable healthcare. We remain resolute in our mission to offer affordable healthcare across every single zip-code of India, be it consultation, tests of treatment within a 24-hour TAT, and contribute to the Indian healthcare ecosystem,” Shah added.

  • How Covid spurred a turnaround for India’s e-pharma industry

    How Covid spurred a turnaround for India’s e-pharma industry

    Mumbai: According to a 2019 EY report, the Indian e-pharma sector was poised to touch $2.7 billion by 2023 from $360 million. The report cited an increase in internet penetration and smartphone ownership, along with the ease of ordering medications through an e-commerce platform and an increase in chronic diseases as some of the key growth drivers for the online pharma industry.

    And this was before the Covid-19 put a gigantic spoke in the wheel of our outdoor activities. And, before it became hara-kiri to step out of one’s house for as mundane a task as purchasing some prescription pills.

    The Covid Tsunami Effect

    One year plus of the tidal onslaught of the Covid tsunami has brought about irrevocable changes into the world. The exponential and fast-tracked tilt towards everything digital was one of them and it was obvious that online pharmacies and healthcare would not be far behind.

    “With limited reach and usage till a year ago, the pandemic has changed the landscape drastically. Lockdowns, restricted movement, and policy initiatives have enabled higher adoption, penetration, and substantial growth,” says digital marketing agency Natter COO Avinash Joshi as he opines on the growth in India’s e-pharma space.

    High caseloads, especially in urban areas coupled with regional lockdowns have compelled consumers to take the online route rather than visit the friendly neighbourhood pharmacies. It’s no longer simply a matter of convenience but about undertaking any added risk by venturing out unnecessarily.

    Driven by the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, India’s e-pharmacy sector is once again witnessing a surge in orders. There has also been a spike in sales of Covid-related products – such as pulse oximeters, personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, oxygen cans, masks, sanitizers, health supplements across major online pharma players, in addition to regular drugs. 

    Overall Growth in the e-Sector

    According to dentsu Impact president Amit Wadhwa, the e-pharma sector in India is still in its nascent stage and while it has been growing rapidly in the last 4-5 years in India, a big surge in that growth happened only over the last one year. “This is not just visible in the industry growth numbers and how we are seeing consumers using/ talking about the platform, but also with the number of new players that we are constantly seeing entering this segment, with even traditional chemists such as Apollo Pharmacy along with big names such as Amazon diving right in,” says Wadhwa.

    As per estimates, 35 per cent of the domestic pharmaceutical market relates to chronic medications and the remainder to acute medicines. E-pharmacies have been targeting the chronic market majorly so far and are expected to scale up the acute medicine market through an improvement in last-mile logistics and collaboration with local pharmacies.

    “In the years to come, people will look at 2020 as ‘the year that changed everything- especially the way we reach out to our end consumers’,” says Hybrid healthcare start up Healthnovo co-founder Rima Sunit. “We see an increasing trend of teleconsultation, online ordering of medicines, etc. Even doctors are now adapting to new methods of providing prescriptions by using digital tools and consulting their patients over a video call. Currently, the Indian market is flooded by online players offering the best services at discounted prices.”

    According to industry trackers, the sector’s growth is on top of an already robust revenue increase of around 35 per cent last year. The second wave and the consequent uptick in orders are setting the industry up for yet another year of strong growth in the range of 30-50 per cent. An almost 3X expansion in the number of users ordering medicines online means the sector is bound to see strong revenue growth this year as well.

    Major players & their marketing game

    Some of the leading players in this race to tap into the burgeoning e-pharma sector are 1mg, Netmeds, Pharmeasy, and Medlife with many new entrants emerging on the scene. In the last few months, brands like PharmEasy have been wooing the customer with a deluge of commercials, amplifying their message of ‘Aapki Health Aapke Haath Mein hai’ (your health is in your hands), with a dash of humour and relatability to the common man.

    Netmeds roped in celebrity brand ambassador, Kareena Kapoor to convey the reliability and safety of their service, coupled with the ease and convenience of access for the customer.

    According to Wadhwa, the brands are focusing their messaging on discounts and ease of delivery as ‘this is a phase where the category is creating awareness and the intent is to gain from the physical chemists’. He adds, “As the category gains more acceptance, we will see a more defined and differentiated messaging/ tonality across at least the key brands where possibly more planks such as trust, presence, etc. might be explored.”

    Reaping the benefits of increased demand, online pharmacies and digital health companies have been passing on some of the paybacks to consumers by offering generous discounts on online purchases. This helped drive up the sales initially, while brands were trying to make a dent in the hitherto traditional Indian pharma market. In the long run, however, discounts may have to come down to reasonable levels to achieve breakeven and any meaningful profitability.

    “With several local & global players in the fray, a lot of money is being spent to own and retain that exclusive audience. These brands are spending big on ATL and driving performance on digital with retargeting, scaling up downloads, offering discounts & referrals. These digital-first brands make use of chat-bots for queries & resolutions, AI & ML for recommendations, and tracking tools & digital payments for fulfilment. They are also spending big on content creation to engage with the user on the right platform,” says Natter COO Avinash Joshi.

    Despite challenges like trust deficit, customer support issues, and remote area access, if the spurt in the e- pharma industry continues, it can aid in the regulation of the Indian pharma space. As e-pharma companies insist on verifying the prescription online before dispensing medicine they are likely to be more structured than their traditional counterparts.

  • PharmEasy continues marketing blitz with three new commercials

    PharmEasy continues marketing blitz with three new commercials

    NEW DELHI: PharmEasy, the online medicine and healthcare ordering app, has launched a new three-film campaign called ‘DanceEasy’, which reiterates that ordering medicines on the platform is so easy that it will make one dance. The campaign has been conceptualised and created by Leo Burnett India.

    The platform has always aimed to make the complicated world of medicines as simple as possible. Taking forward its ‘take it easy’ narrative, the campaign addresses the top three consumer apprehensions where medicines are concerned – value for money, availability and getting genuine medicines.

    Each film in the DanceEasy campaign addresses a consumer concern along with a wacky dance step to the catchy tune of the famous number – Urvashi. In every film, the consumer’s strife has been creatively depicted as a dance form.

    Saumil Parekh, vice president marketing, PharmEasy, said, “We thought of conceptualising short advertisements that would not only build a connection with our audience but do so in an engaging and fun manner. Our aim was to show how easy ordering medicines can be with PharmEasy, and the before and after versions of these dance forms is our way of depicting that. PharmEasy has always focused on being a customer-centric brand, and we have tried to highlight the problems that customers face when shopping for medicines on a regular basis, and offer a simple solution for the same.”

    Vikram Pandey, national creative director, Leo Burnett said, “PharmEasy’s music track — a rehashed version of Urvashi — is a great brand asset and helps break clutter every single time. For this campaign, we used it to challenge offline medicine buying behaviour. We turned each pain point into a dance form – so roaming from shop to shop in search of prescribed medicines became bhatak nritya, expensive medicines became kharchnatyam and so on. The films are funny yet memorable, we are confident this campaign will help build the brand narrative further.”

    The brand is competing in an extremely competitive market that includes players such as 1mg, MedLife, Amazon Medicines, NetMeds and several others. Most of these companies are heavily funded and have been going for big marketing campaigns to acquire audiences. PharmEasy has been advertising across big ticket properties such as Indian Premier League and ICC World Cup 2019.

    The brand also recently appointed Gaurav Verma as CMO. 

  • Zomato’s Gaurav Verma is new PharmEasy CMO

    Zomato’s Gaurav Verma is new PharmEasy CMO

    NEW DELHI: PharmEasy has brought in former Zomato CMO Gaurav Verma to lead its marketing operations.

    "Delighted to announce that I am joining the excellent team at PharmEasy! They have built a phenomenal quirky brand and am super excited to see what new heights we can take it to," said Verma in a post on his LinkedIn profile.

    Verma joined Zomato in 2019. Soon, he was elevated to global growth head of dining out for a brief period of six months. Soon, he was given the mantle for marketing in April this year.

    He led the brand marketing activities for Zomato throughout the pandemic and spearheaded several interesting campaigns. He exited the food delivery platform in November 2020.

    Verma has 15 years of experience in the industry and has worked at leading companies like Pepsico, ITC, Lenovo, and Tata Tea. His longest stint was at Pepsico where he operated in different categories such as Tropicana, Lays, Kurkure, and others. 

  • Urban Company humanises face masks with #WearASmile campaign

    Urban Company humanises face masks with #WearASmile campaign

    NEW DELHI: As we all don masks to lead our daily lives in the new normal, in some ways we've all attained a degree of uniform anonymity. With most of our faces covered up, it's as though our true selves – who we are as a human – are also hidden. In light of this, Urban Company’s has unveiled the #WearASmile campaign, which aims to allay the diminished human element between consumers and professionals, by adding a smile to the face mask.

    Under this initiative, all service professionals will be issued face masks with a smile on it. The company believes that while masks keep consumers and service professionals safe, they make people (service professionals) invisible by hiding their faces and humanity. To this effect, all professionals on the platform will be issued face masks with smiles on them – as a small reminder of the human behind the mask, and a way to humanise the mask itself.

    Urban company director – marketing Tarun Menon said, “For our service professionals, masks hide their faces, making them unrecognisable; hiding the individuals behind the masks. Through the pandemic, we’ve heard stories from around the world that have reaffirmed our faith in the indomitable human spirit. Our intent with this small change to the masks our service professionals wear is to make the face mask in itself a little more human, with the smallest of reminders of that unbeatable human spirit – a smile.”

    Brands such as Uber, OYO, Big Basket, Ola Money and Pharmeasy have extended their support to this initiative – some will change their social media display pictures across platforms to their logos with smiling face masks on them in support.

    In addition, Urban Company’s app icon will also change to reflect the new smiling mask being issued to service professionals. At the outset of the pandemic, Urban Company was one of the first brands to add a face mask to their app icon, underscoring its commitment to offering safe services.

    So, be it on the mask or underneath it, smile. After all, a smile is a curve that sets everything straight.