RiteMed cites true heroes

Ads & Ends
Nanette Franco-Diyco

TWO MONTHS AGO, RiteMed released a two-minute advocacy ad on social media entitled “Pagpupugay” (A Tribute). International award-winning director Brillante Mendoza agreed to do the commercial, saying that he could relate to the material “because he himself took care of his own mother for 18 months before she passed away.”

The two-minuter can be viewed on RiteMed’s Web site, on YouTube and Facebook. “It is dedicated to every family member, friend, nurse, doctor, caregiver and to all who give proper care anywhere in the world.”

The material does not have a single plug for RiteMed products. Director Mendoza dramatizes in every frame, one after the other, a caregiver’s enduring love and patience in caring for the sick and the old. The viewer is made to realize the unending need for mercy and compassion not only for the sick but specially for those whose task is to care for them 24/7.

RiteMed simply communicates, “Thanks for all your sacrifice, understanding, and concern to aid those who are ill. You are true heroes in our hearts.”

RiteMed’s advertising for unibranded generics over the years on television and billboards has made it a household brand, an unquestionable leader in the generics market.

The widespread endorsement of celebrities Susan Roces and Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo in all its promotions, specially during its launch period, unquestionably gave RiteMed credibility and a spiralling acceptance of generics.

The advertising executions, all echoing trust and affordability have now segued into the use of non-celebrities belonging to the upper socioeconomic levels, expressing surprise over anyone’s preference to expensive brands.

The spiels used by the endorsers are simple and direct to the point, cleverly hitting the target market’s emotions and reasoning: “Hwag mahiyang magtanong! (Don’t be embarrassed to ask!)”; “May karapatan kang gumaling! (You have the right to get well!)”; “Nais naming gumaling kayo! (We want you to get well!)”; “Bawal ang mahal! (High prices not allowed!).”

I have personally witnessed and heard the question posed by a woman to a Mercury drugstore salesman, “May RiteMed ba nito?” simultaneously showing the doctor’s prescription. It was an exact take-off from one of RiteMed’s TV commercials with media heavy weights. Call it an awesome effect of advertising that educates! And, yes, the woman was indeed given the RiteMed medicine analogous to the prescribed drug. And the price was infinitely lower than the branded medicine!

The element of trust will undoubtedly enter one’s mind — after all, we are talking about my precious health here. Then you discover that RiteMed is actually a part of Unilab. And you have grown to trust United Laboratories for years and years! “Hence your consideration to leap to RiteMed for some medications,” revealed a consumer currently on expensive maintenance medicines.

Then, while you are tinkering with your computer on YouTube, you accidentally come across Brillante Mendoza’s “Pagpupugay.” It definitely is kurot sa puso (touches your heart). Your key response is admiration for the company that deeply understands the ailing and the ones who care for them. Call it a huge tool for the creation of goodwill and acceptance for RiteMed.

Good collaboration of client RiteMed, advertising agency Estima, Inc. and production house, Center Stage.

Nanette Franco-Diyco ended her 15^th year advertising career as vice-president of JWT, segueing into the world of academe, currently teaching communications at the Ateneo de Manila University.

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