Bonsai-Test markets show what newspapers can do

Successful presentation: For six days, Klosterfrau presented its herbal cough remedy Bronchicum® Elixir in the regional daily newspapers of the marketer Score Media Group. Bonsai Research tested the effect of the media deployment. In the test markets, sales increased by 25 percent compared to the control markets during the newspaper campaign. But even in the four weeks after the campaign, the sales increase was still six percent. This means that the advertisements had a sustained positive effect on sales of Bronchicum® beyond the campaign period. 

The Klosterfrau Healthcare Group was very satisfied with the results of the test campaign, reports Score Media Group in a case study: "We are constantly optimising our media mix and testing new environments," says Kirsten Latour, Head of Media, Digital & Brand Communication at MCM Klosterfrau Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH: "With the regional daily newspaper and the chosen ad combination, we have found an optimal stage for our product that serves our campaign goals very effectively. Already during the campaign we could notice significant sales effects."

Bonsai can analyse the sales figures of health brands and products down to the level of the individual pharmacy. The basis for this is provided by the sales figures of more than 2,400 stationary pharmacies, which we can access directly via their merchandise management system. For the case study that Score Media conducted for Bronchicum® Elixir at Bonsai Research, the figures of 293 pharmacies each in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland were analysed as a test group and as a control group (in Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein). Here, the strength of the regional newspaper as a sales medium became apparent.

"The strength of Bonsai in the health and pharmaceutical sector lies in the combination," says Dirk Hamann, member of the management at Bonsai: "By bringing together media test markets for newspapers, but also for online, radio and TV with real sales, the return on investment can be precisely quantified". In a pilot study on video campaigns last year, for example, Facebook, Kantar and Bonsai examined the effectiveness of video campaigns on sales in stationary pharmacies and mail-order pharmacies - at that time for the brands Bepanthen, Talcid, nasic, elmex gelée, Lefax and Doppelherz.

Mandatory text Bronchicum® Elixir Indications: Treatment of the symptoms of acute bronchitis and colds of the respiratory tract with viscous mucus. Warnings: Contains 4.9% alcohol by volume. Contains sucrose (sugar) and invert sugar. Observe package leaflet! For risks and side effects, read the package leaflet and ask your doctor or pharmacist.