"It's all in your head": How Nurofen tackled a hidden health crisis to regain category leadership

IPA Effectiveness Awards Case Study 2024

Already on a downward trajectory for trust, value for money perceptions, and sales, Nurofen was further hit at the start of the Covid pandemic in 2020 by unfounded claims about its ingredient, Ibuprofen. To build back both its brand and sales, Nurofen adopted more empathetic messaging on pain and a particular focus on how women’s pain was not taken seriously. In addition to emotive TV advertising, activities ranged from providing research and training for healthcare professionals to creating 'fake' products dismissing women’s pain. Evidence communications worked includes uplift in brand and commercial metrics, and an estimated £67m of incremental revenue.

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Client Statement

David Shillcock, Marketing Director UK, Reckitt

See My Pain is part of a bold strategic choice from Nurofen to commit to making a difference in society. Through in-depth research with women and healthcare professionals, we uncovered a powerful and often overlooked truth: that women’s pain was being ignored and dismissed; and the negative impact it has all their life is significant.

The campaign is a step change in how Nurofen, and the pain relief category, talks to people. Nurofen and its parent company Reckitt released a set of commitments to ensure that all pain affecting women is no longer dismissed. This is demonstrated by different research partnerships to understand women’s pain better. Additionally, Nurofen and its partners developed a series of training modules aimed at healthcare professionals to reduce gender bias and created the Pain Pass tool to help the conversation between patients and professionals.

There is a strong culture of measurement and effectiveness at Nurofen, which we’re proud to see reflected in successfully improved brand metrics. The campaign has shown that breaking category conventions and leading societal change can drive business results. We’ve also received powerful feedback from women who have experienced their pain being dismissed and who have connected deeply with the campaign.

Nurofen is committed to building on the initial success of this campaign, keep pushing boundaries in the pain category and fighting pain biases, so that everyone regardless of age, gender or ethnicity can take control of their pain.