After Japan, India is known to be the second most sleep deprived country in the world, as per several reports. And even though it is an essential part of an individual’s health and wellbeing, millions of people in India do not get enough sleep.
Speaking to Marketing Mind, Sahil Sethi, Senior Marketing Director and Category Leader, P&G Personal Health Care India, pointed out that when the company has conducted the ZzzQuil India National Sleep Survey across seven major Indian cities, it had revealed that only 15% of Indians get a good night’s rest, and 40% sleep less than 7 hours.
That being said, the survey also underscored that 60% of Indians suffer from signs of occasional sleeplessness such as taking longer than 30 mins to fall asleep (long sleep latency), waking up tired in the morning or even waking up in the middle of the night.
Recognising this pertinent issue, P&G Health India had launched Vicks ZzzQuil in the country last year and within a year’s time, the brand which believes that ‘Everyone deserves a good night’s sleep’ has already become one of the leading players in the sleep aid category.
“In a country like India where talking about sleep concerns has been seen as a taboo, we are aiming to make consumers and chemists understand and learn that there are non-habit forming solutions like Vicks ZzzQuil Natura which make fast sleep accessible in a safe manner to consumers, when consumed as directed,” Sethi opined.
Commenting on how the brand is addressing occasional challenges of sleep onset via its marketing initiatives, he mentioned that to address this, P&G Personal Health Care has focused on having a multichannel and integrated approach.
Since the company is working with the purpose to serve the healthcare needs of Indians with its ‘superior, quality and trusted healthcare brands’, he stated that P&G is ‘always listening’ to what the consumers’ needs and then incorporate insights across their marketing strategies, product formulations, packaging, and communication to better serve consumer needs.
“In terms of formulation, our focus is product superiority, and we believe in innovating in a relevant way for every market,” he added.
That being said, Vicks ZzzQuil partnered with World Sleep Society for the second consecutive year for World Sleep Day 2024 towards improving awareness on Sleep Health not just in India but across the globe.
In his views, it is days like these which are important towards bringing collective attention and action to important health topics such as Sleep Health.
Delving further, Sethi also highlighted that ‘World Sleep Day’ is an annual call to action by the World Sleep Society, a non-profit organization which encourages individuals and organizations worldwide to celebrate healthy sleep, raise awareness of sleep disorders, and advance global sleep health.
Commenting on what the brand intends to achieve from this association as part of capitalizing the moment, he emphasised that the brand’s focus currently remains on educating people about sleep, recognizing signs of prolonged sleep latency, and taking necessary steps.
To support his take, he mentioned that while individuals can take a simple sleep quiz and access tips and techniques for better sleep on Vicks ZzzQuil website, the brand is also running scientific programs such as ‘Sleep Management Solutions’ in collaboration with Health Experts and CIMS for it recognises that pharmacists and chemists play a crucial role as the first point of contact for consumers seeking healthcare guidance.
Upon being questioned on the marketing strategy, the objectives and the media mix to achieve the same, Sethi replied, “ZzzQuil Natura is focused on improving education and awareness on the category by building awareness on long sleep latency and its impact on quality of life, equipping consumers with required information and support, helping them understand the supportive role of ZzzQuil Natura with its carefully selected ingredients known for their ability to promote fast sleep and sharing the experiences of others who have benefitted from the product.”
From a media mix point of view, he mentioned that the brand is leveraging all relevant touchpoints to reach out to its consumers, especially via Digital and Connected TV along with conducting offline trials to broaden the reach. Moreover, the brand is ‘always scouting’ for impactful opportunities to maximize brand visibility and engagement.
With this, Sethi also highlighted that since Vicks ZzzQuil Natura is now available in India at all leading pharmacies and e-commerce platforms in Tier I and Tier II cities, the consumers’ response to the product has been very encouraging with 80% of consumers rating the product ‘favorably’ post usage on the latter and the product being showcased as a ‘best-seller in the category of Herbal & Nutritional Supplements’ on major e-commerce platforms.
