Case study: Philips challenges itself to affect change in consumer health

With the rise of chronic illnesses due to increasing sedentary lifestyles, it is no surprise that brands are looking towards engaging in meaningful conversations with consumers and encourage healthier lifestyles. For one such brand, going deep into product innovations to encourage healthier lifestyles was one such strategy.Coupled with a comprehensive marketing strategy, Philips managed to engage the media, getting its voice heard through quality, breakthrough print and digital coverage. This allowed the company to clinch a Bronze for Best PR Campaign - Lifestyle and being shortlisted as a finalist - Best PR Campaign - Consumer category at Marketing's recent PR Awards 2018.The post was done in conjunction with Philips.ProblemIn Asia, ageing populations and sedentary lifestyles are leading to a rise in chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease. In Singapore, nearly one out of three deaths in 2016 resulted from heart disease or stroke. While many people know that healthy eating is essential, they find it challenging to put it into practice due to their hectic urban schedules. There is also little awareness about the link between good oral health and the prevention of heart disease.SolutionAs a leading health technology company with a mission to make the world healthier and more sustainable through innovation – Philips challenged itself to affect change.  In order to do that, it needed to drive awareness to show consumers that there were easy and sustainable ways to live a healthier life, empowered through Philips’ product innovations to meet its objectives of improving the lives of three billion people a year by 2025.To do this, Philips chose a commemorative day – World Heart Day – as its anchor with a goal to engage audiences on a meaningful topic: heart health. Creating an experiential event that would elevate Philips’ positioning as a leading health technology company and bring greater awareness to cardiovascular diseases was integral. The event would also be a platform to launch Philips’ new kitchen and oral healthcare product innovations.ObjectiveBeyond just launching five of its new products – the Avance Collection Blender HR3658/01, Viva Collection Blender HR3556/00, Avance Collection Rice cooker HD3175/62, Daily Collection Airfryer with Rapid Air Technology HD9216/84, Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Sonic electric toothbrush with app HX9924/46 – Philips wanted audiences to leave with an understanding of the inspirations behind all of Philips’ product innovations. They needed to understand how Philips’ meaningful product innovations could empower them with ways to better care for themselves and their families.There was a valuable window of opportunity to tell the Philips story where clinical and consumer expertise converge in partnership to deliver solutions across the full range of consumer and patient needs from living healthily to being diagnosed and treated for an illness, to recovery or chronic care at home. Through every touch-point of engagement, Philips drove top-of-mind awareness around the importance of eating healthy and brushing right, bringing to life how establishing healthy habits could be made sustainable and fun.Execution1. Setting the stage: Bringing issues around health into focus through expert opinionIt is no secret that consumers do not change their consumption habits unless they have a reason to do so – and Philips established that reason. This was executed by setting the stage with a panel discussion which brought together industry experts from various fields – a chef, a Singapore Heart Foundation nutritionist and a dentist alongside Philips leadership. The panel brought about awareness of cardiovascular diseases and bridged the link between healthy eating, good oral healthcare habits and heart health through active discussions around everyday issues faced by consumers.2. Showcasing product innovation: Creative ways of showing audiences how products can help build healthy habitsOnce the context was established, Philips showcased how its product innovations complete the picture, with its new kitchen and oral healthcare products as the stars of the show. Philips’ partnerships with industry experts served as independent endorsements of its products, elevating their credibility. Media and guests were able to experience the products through experiential activities such as a live cooking demonstration led by celebrity-chef Angela May, using custom recipes she created to give local favourites a heart-healthy twist with the four new kitchen innovations.Philips also launched the new Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Toothbrush through a brush-off challenge for media, with opening tips by the dentist partner. This was extremely useful in helping media and guests understand the advanced product features such as its 3D mapping capabilities, as well as pick up knowledge about oral healthcare.3. Motivating change: Making healthy living easy for consumers through exciting content and tipsHaving the right tools is one thing, but knowing how to use them correctly is another. As part of its campaign, Philips also wanted to make sure that beyond the event, consumers were equipped with the information to kick-start their personal healthcare journey towards a healthier lifestyle. This was a process that needed to be as engaging, fun and simple in order for it to be sustainable. Philips partnered Angela May to produce info-graphic content that featured local Singaporean favourites with a healthy twist, using Philips’ air fryer, rice cooker and blenders. This includes "Cluck Kuh The", a dish of garlic and pepper tea quinoa with chicken breast, which was a creative and nutritious spin on our well-known bak kut teh.ResultsWith a shrinking media landscape, the results were even more significant as Philips was present on quality, breakthrough print and digital coverage. While this was a lifestyle campaign, brand presence was also extended into tech publications. Philips achieved in-depth features beyond the product-centric snippets you would traditionally get with a product launch. Brand messages were brought to life, taking Philips one step closer to achieving its goal of driving greater awareness around heart health, while gaining strong recognition as a leading health technology company.