From WOW to ROI - the healthcare influencer marketing series.
published in Pharma Relations issue 12/2022
"Tangibly improving everyone's lives with new solutions" - Bosch Healthcare Solutions relies on emotional and credible influencer storytelling that immerses target groups directly in application and experience as a good complement to other online measures in its goal to improve healthcare and quality of life around the world with innovations in therapy management and diagnostics.
Dr. Viktoria Rönnefarth (VR) and Thomas Berroth (TB), responsible at Bosch Healthcare Solutions for Vivatmo me, the world's first home FeNO meter, have already implemented several influencer campaigns since the product launch with Schmittgall HEALTH and t5content. In the interview, they describe advantages, prejudices and necessary precautions for healthcare influencer marketing.
Vivatmo me is mainly marketed via digital channels. Why?
TB: In general, we try to use the most effective ways possible to reach people online. In addition, we want to offer the asthma and Vivatmo community relevant content on the topics of allergy, asthma, and home measurement and stay in touch with them. We want to avoid a media break and therefore try to communicate within the digital customer journey on all online channels that are relevant for us.
VR: Our target group is people with allergic asthma and their relatives, and like all target groups today, they spend a lot of time on social media in their private lives. Instagram and Facebook in particular are suitable for regularly addressing an adult target group in B2C. According to the regular online study by ARD and ZDF, they are the most used social media channels among the age groups relevant to us. Insights from our profiles also show that we reach our target group within the mainly relevant age range on Instagram and Facebook: Instagram: 18-64 (largest group: 35-44 year olds) and Facebook: 18-65+ (largest group: 35-54 year olds).
Why did you decide to promote your product with influencers?
TB: When influencers present a product in their community, a large and, above all, different audience is addressed than when communicating via the company's own channels or in media campaigns. In cooperation with influencers, we can also do good and credible storytelling. The influencers we work with have asthma themselves. They can report on their own experiences authentically, honestly and true to life. Followers trust the reports of "their" influencers, which also gives our product the benefit of the doubt. Especially in the healthcare environment, trust and tangible information are essential.
Did you have any reservations about working with influencers before the campaigns?
TB: Influencer marketing is becoming more and more established in many companies, and it has become clear that initial doubts and uncertainties about tonality, content and expectations were unfounded in our case as well. On the contrary - the cooperation with the influencers has always worked well. Colleagues have also been happy to see the influencers' posts and promotional pieces then live on social media or on our social wall on the Vivatmo website.
Where do you see the benefits of influencer marketing?
VR: Influencers bridge a distance that can exist between the company and the target group in other marketing activities. Influencers are perceived as a person and not as a company. They thus have a different effect on consumers and can make advertising more successful.
Were there any differences between the influencer campaigns and other marketing efforts?
VR: There were differences in the reactions to the marketing measures. The reactions to the influencer campaigns were very positive. Comments under the posts were almost exclusively friendly and supportive. For other online marketing measures, for example Facebook ads, there were also a few critical responses from users.
What would you recommend to other companies that also want to start with influencer marketing? What precautions need to be taken? What needs to be taken into account?
TB: For influencer marketing to be successful, suitable influencers must first be found. Companies should take their time in the selection process and look for influencers who really fit them and their products. A good fit between influencer and product or brand increases the success of the posts. If, on the other hand, the influencer and the brand do not match, the cooperation will look untrustworthy. This in turn can have a negative impact on the image of the brand and its products. A good briefing of the influencers, without taking away their freedom to address their target group in their own special way, is essential. I personally think that measuring success is also very important.
Influencer Marketing - Nice to have or serious tool?
TB & VR: Influencer marketing is definitely a tool to be taken seriously. It is gaining more and more importance and is now included in the marketing mix by many companies. Influencers take referral marketing to a new level and are thus able to address a broad audience. At the same time, they appear less aloof than classic celebrities and exude credibility. This authenticity is crucial and is also transferred to advertising and thus to the product or brand.
