From Media Testing to Thought Leadership

Over-the-counter (OTC) and consumer health products play unique roles in people’s lives, offering everyday solutions for both short-term ailments like seasonal sniffles and long-term wellness. But in a crowded market, standing out takes more than just a good product. It takes smart strategy, bold creative, and a deep understanding of how consumers think, shop, and engage.

We’ve spent years helping brands in the OTC and consumer products space do just that. One such brand is Vespyr, a portfolio of trusted names like Cold-EEZE, Contac, Feosol, and Geritol. Vespyr came to us with clear goals: drive awareness, improve performance, and build credibility across both consumers and retail partners.

What followed was a series of integrated campaigns that spanned paid media, creative testing, and public relations. Each one tackled a different challenge, but together, they tell a story of how bold ideas and smart execution can move the needle in a competitive category.

Targeting smarter with cold + flu trends.

When flu season hits, timing and location are everything. For Vespyr’s Cold-EEZE and Contac brands, we tapped into IQVIA’s FAN Flu/Cold/Respiratory Activity Notification Program dashboard to track cold and flu outbreaks in real time. By overlaying this data with retailer locations, we zeroed in on high-need DMAs and adjusted our paid search and social targeting weekly.

The result? Efficient media spend that reached the right people at the right time, when they needed relief most. We monitor this on a weekly basis for any changes needed in targeting to avoid sacrificing impact.

Using a brand lift study to prove effectiveness

When Feosol, an iron supplement also within Vespyr’s brands, developed new creative assets, we saw an opportunity to test how this new look resonated with audiences using Google’s free Demand Gen Brand Lift study tool. 

The results showed a 1.06% lift in ad recall, translating to nearly 50,000 individuals more likely to remember Feosol over top competitors. When possible, we always take advantage of these tests with our clients to provide additional insight into campaign success.

Applying testing methods to drive lower-funnel results

For Vespyr’s Geritol paid social campaigns, we wanted to conduct a Meta beta test featuring a new optimization event—landing page views (LPV)—and compare the results to a traditional click-based campaign. The purpose of this test was to confirm whether LPV campaigns can increase the number of verified audience members getting to a retailer page and improve the campaign’s overall cost-effectiveness.  

Over a monthlong test, LPV-focused ads delivered a 200% more efficient cost-per-view and a 10% lower CPM compared to traditional click-based campaigns. Even with fewer clicks, we confirmed that more qualified users were landing on the Geritol pages.  

Building thought leadership where it counts

Vespyr wanted to boost visibility with retail partners, and LinkedIn was the perfect platform. As part of the brand’s PR efforts, we helped two Vespyr executives step into thought leadership roles, sharing educational content about product benefits, marketing strategies, and industry trends. 

In just eight months, we helped drive measurable growth, including 52,000 impressions, a 4% engagement rate, and 240 new followers across Vespyr’s LinkedIn presence. 

From geo-targeted media buys to platform-specific optimization and executive thought leadership, these campaigns didn’t just meet KPIs—they helped Vespyr strengthen its presence in a competitive OTC and consumer health products landscape and connect more meaningfully with both consumers and retail partners.