Companies can do more to Spread Swine flu awareness
Posted on Dec 07, 2009 by Reena Daruwalla | Comments 0
We have probably all of us seen the Dettol ad campaign that uses the Swine flu scare gambit to catch the viewer’s attention; similarly Lifebuoy has also fashioned its ad campaign to include the anti swine flu message.
The Dettol website has a section devoted to swine flu including tips for prevention, FAQs, and other information and resources. It also has a section for kids which includes games and quizzes relating to good hygiene. “Dettol kills 99.9 per cent bacteria and Flu viruses. Learn more now!” is a sponsored link that one probably sees frequently displayed on Google on a search result page when one has searched for Swine flu related keywords.
One could well argue that it is the economic imperative and a desire for better sales rather than any altruistic motive that guides their respective ad campaigns, which is most certainly true. These are business organizations formulated for the purpose of generating profit and it would be naïve to expect that advantage is not taken of people’s apprehensions about the H1N1 Swine flu pandemic.
However the fact is, that along with peddling their products, their association they have formed with swine flu has helped disseminate information. The ad campaigns and other publicity materials have made information about the swine flu virus more accessible, and have also offered practical and useful prevention tips that people can incorporate into their daily habits.
These are helpful and responsible policies adopted by these companies, even if they are guided by the primary profit motive. It would be good for other companies to also adopt these strategies in order to spread awareness. By aligning themselves to an anti swine flu and pro hygiene stand, companies not only stand to gain, they are also able to educate and create a better brand awareness of a product by association.
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Posted in: H1N1
