Gemius analysed the data relating to the online video advertisements of pharmaceuticals which were shown on the Polish Internet. These adverts were seen by nearly 11.3 million of unique visitors (source: gemiusAdReal, December 2016). Owing to 77.5 million of page views, they reached nearly 41.3 per cent of all Polish internet users (PC). The analysis paid attention to the most frequent brands and the publishers of websites which featured online video advertisements of pharmaceuticals.

YouTube leads among website publishers

Youtube.com is a front runner when it comes to the rating of website publishers advertising pharmaceuticals. This publisher, mainly owing to Reckitt Benckiser advertising spots, has the largest share in video advertisements of pharmaceutical products – close to 36.8 per cent of internet users of those who had had contact with the analysed category of advertising spots (over 4.1 million people) watched them on Youtube.com. As many as 19.7 per cent of the analysed group of internet users (over 2.2 million) watched video adverts of pharmaceuticals on websites belonging to Wirtualna Polska Group, which ranked behind YouTube. The third spot in the ranking belongs to TVN Group, with the result of 16.3 per cent (over 1.8 million of unique visitors).

Cold remedies in TOP3

The top place in the ranking of pharmaceutical brands, whose online video advertisements were seen by the highest number of internet users, belongs to Marimer nasal spray for babies. Advertising spots for this product were watched by nearly 34.3 per cent of the Polish internet users who watch online video advertisements of pharmaceutical products (3.9 million of unique visitors, 54 per cent of whom were women). The second place in the ranking was taken by Vicks (23.4 per cent and 2.6 million of unique visitors) ─ although the product is intended for adults, the spot was decidedly aimed at mothers. The adverts of Vibovit Max Odporność, which closes TOP3, were seen by 22.8 per cent of internet users who watch online video advertisements of pharmaceuticals (close to 2.6 million of unique visitors).

‘What is surprising is that in December – so over the typical Christmas period – the leading group of online video advertisements features no pharmaceutical products bought as Christmas presents. There were also none of the brands which help us to stick to our New Year’s resolutions, such as dieting or anti-nicotine products. The three brands most aggressively promoted via online video consisted of products for combating flu and colds,’ explains Marta Sułkiewicz, online video advertising expert at Gemius.

Adverts from TOP3 shown on Wirtualna Polska and TVN websites

What is interesting, none of the online adverts included in TOP3 of the brands were shown on Youtube.com as its main Internet medium. Which website publishers did the owners of the brands placed in TOP3 choose? After all, all these campaigns promoted products aimed at young parents. The advertising spot of Marimera (Nepentes Pharma Sp. z o.o) was shown primarily on websites belonging to Wirtualna Polska Group and on Gry.pl, which is quite surprising considering the target group. Vicks (Procter & Gamble) and Vibovit Max Odporność (Teva) reigned among video advertisements of pharmaceuticals shown on websites belonging to TVN Group.

‘Marketers at pharmaceutical companies have decidedly bet on cold remedies – the flu season had of course started a while earlier, so December is not exceptional in this. It is interesting that all three podium videos were targeted at mothers. We were also surprised by the media mix for Marimer. The nose spray for babies, aimed at mothers with very young children, was put out on gry.pl and Money.pl – websites one might think that mothers had no time for. Looking at the user demography, we could see that on the pages of Money.pl the Marimer baby video mainly reached men, but mostly women at gry.pl,’ Sułkiewicz adds.