The latest campaign from Reckitt Benckiser’s Mucinex encourages people to rate their doctors. The OTC cold and flu brand asks people to be an “ally of doctors” and say thank you to healthcare providers by posting an online review.
RB partnered with Healthgrades.com to set up a dedicated page and will roll out digital ads, along with a social effort with physician influencers, including “The Doctors” host Ian Smith, M.D., and family medicine physician and frequent TV health expert guest Jen Caudle, D.O.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mucinex and RB “realized that standing in alliance with our healthcare workers was more important than ever before, and this is only the beginning. We plan to continue providing support and growing our allyship with doctors through innovative partnerships, campaigns, and more,” Claudine Patel, general manager of marketing at for Reckitt's North America Consumer Health unit, said in an email interview.
While opening up to reviews may also mean opening up to criticism, RB’s thinking is backed by data. A recent Mucinex and Harris Poll found that 80% of Americans who left online reviews about their healthcare professtionals in the past year did so because of a positive experience.
It was that insight that inspired the campaign with the goal to generate more real reviews and recommendations for doctors.
“We understand that all patient experiences won’t be positive but see the importance of honest patient feedback so that doctors can make adjustments to their services, if necessary,” Patel said.
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Additional content on the campaign website includes articles about other ways to say thank you by donating a meal or supplies and even donating blood. One article even details tips for leaving a good review.
In a year of negative news and dealings for doctors, appreciation and positive feedback can go a long way, Patel said.
“2020 has been one of the most challenging years for healthcare professionals, and they need all the support they can get as they continue to navigate this cold and flu season amid the pandemic,” she said.