From medicine to energy drink
Bioplus – A local iconic brand for Africa
Adcock Ingram is a leading South African pharmaceutical manufacturer. With “Bioplus”, the company has a leading brand in the field of energetic dietary supplements. Thanks to 40 years of market presence, Bioplus is also the most traditional supplier on the market.
When the brand was founded in the early 1970s, “energy products” were still regarded as medicines and were only available in pharmacies. As a result, the brand has strong roots in the field of medicine. For a long time, the products were offered exclusively in typical medical heavy amber glass bottles in cardboard outer packaging. At the beginning of the 90s effervescent tablets, later chewable tablets, followed.
Since then, the market for energy products in Africa has also changed fundamentally. The development led away from the traditional, pharmaceutical means and towards a dynamic and varied range of convenient products, which are offered in numerous dosage forms and for different uses via multiple distribution channels.
Bioplus chose the African “Expert CI & Packaging Agency” glba-Johannesburg to further develop and renew its own brand and product portfolio in line with this development.
Following an intensive brand analysis, glba-Johannesburg (alias Stratcom Branding) developed a new architecture for which three new segments were established after the analytical investigation and determination of the functional and emotional consumer needs: Core, Wellness and Play. Each segment convinced the twelve focus groups between 20 and 44 years of age with a specific Reason to Believe and relied in different taste variants on the optimal packaging and dosage form. These range from the traditional syrup bottle to portion bags, effervescent tablets and ready-to-drink solutions (shooters) to chewing and soft rubbers.
The brand philosophy is also expressed through the new visual positioning. The Stratcom upgrade preserves the positive aspects of tradition while retaining loyal traditional customers and attracting new customer groups.
The desired high degree of printing perfection for the packaging presented local packaging producers with a considerable challenge. This challenge was overcome not least thanks to a strong partnership within the glba network.
The redesign of the brand, products and packaging immediately provided new impetus. Bioplus has noticed a very positive market development.
Agency: glba-Johannesburg (Stratcom Branding)
Responsible: Gail Macleod, Founder and CEO
Client / Brand: Adcock Ingram / Bioplus
Gail Macleod is founder and CEO of Stratcom Branding. Her professional journey began as an art student to which she added a degree in graphic design before adding strategic branding, consumer insights, business management, financial management, marketing and the commercialization of technology to her portfolio. Gail describes herself as a brand visionary with a good eye for opportunities in the dynamically growing African market.
Stratcom Branding is an African “Expert CI & Packaging Agency” ´. Founded in 1996, Stratcom looks back on over 300 packaging innovations. With its smart, tailor-made solutions, Stratcom relies on a well thought-out balance between beautiful design and absolute functionality, true to the motto: To craft innovative packaging for the world to build deeper connections. Smart. Beneficial. Beautiful.
The Global Local Branding Alliance (glba) is a worldwide network of leading packaging and brand agencies. The network was initiated in 2013 by the Berlin agency Berndt+Partner and has partners in Shanghai, New York, São Paulo, Johannesburg, Istanbul, Moscow and Berlin.