M.G.L.S.

Dias D/PMY/20/0024

11.05.2023

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Table of Contents

1. Executive summery ............................................................................................................................... 2

2. Introduction of Drug brand ................................................................................................................... 3
3. Promotional strategies of Iodex brand .................................................................................................. 5
3.1. Advertising strategy .......................................................................................................................... 5
3.2. Sales promotions ............................................................................................................................... 8
3.3. Personal selling ................................................................................................................................. 9
3.4. Public Relations ................................................................................................................................. 9
3.5. Direct marketing .............................................................................................................................. 10
3.6. Sponsorships .................................................................................................................................... 11
4. Local and International regulations (Health regulations and Promotional regulations) related to the
selected product. ......................................................................................................................................... 12
4.1. Local health and promotional regulations ........................................................................................ 12
4.2. International health and promotional regulations ............................................................................ 13
5. How far GlaxoSmithKline company abides by those regulations. ..................................................... 14
6. Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................... 15
References ................................................................................................................................................... 16

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1. Executive summery

Iodex is a well-known pain relief product for various conditions and considered as an Ayurvedic
balm which is produced and marketed by leading pharmaceutical company called
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in the world. This comprehensive study is focused on the promotional
strategies of Iodex brand, local and international health, and promotional regulation of this brand
and how far this company abides for those regulation.

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2. Introduction of Drug brand

Iodex is a topical ayurvedic balm for relieving pain that is produced by the world’s leading
pharmaceutical and healthcare company called GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). This has been named one
of the most popular consumer brands among Sri Lankan consumers. The balm’s trustworthy pain-
relieving ability has been capable of winning the trust of consumers since its arrival in Sri Lanka
in 2008. And this has helped it establish itself as a top brand in the industry.
(GSK.www.iodex.lk.2015. Iodex Balm.)

It is a powerful, multi-purpose pain relief balm for every pain in the body. Pain in other parts of
the body happens because of muscular inflammation. So, it will need to minimize this effect and
get rid of this pain. It should have a special kind of treatment, unlike headaches. Since more than
10 years, Iodex has been a well-known brand in Sri Lanka for providing efficient pain relief for
musculoskeletal ailments including back pain, joint pain, sprains, neck pain, and shoulder pain.
The five natural elements that make up Iodex Balm’s potent recipe are Gandapuro oil, Nilgiri oil,
Pudina ka Phool, Lavanga ka oil, and Turpine ka oil. Also, there are clove, wintergreen, eucalyptus,
turpentine, and menthol. The warming, relaxing, and soothing effects that these ayurvedic
pharmaceutical ingredients help to deliver at the pain location reduce inflammation and ease pain.
This is an external use only ayurvedic proprietary medicine, and it should be used according to the
directions on the label. The GSK group of companies owns the licenses and trademarks for this
medicine. (GSK.www.iodex.lk.2015. Iodex Balm.)

Also, the Iodex brand was introduced with Iodex Headfast Balm which is specialized to treat
headache conditions that are caused by stressful situations. This balm utilizes a specialized
penetration enhancer with absorption boosters to quickly reach the site of pain and relieve the
headache. (GSK.www.iodex.lk.2015. Iodex Balm)

Even outside, its mild and comforting smell makes it the perfect choice, and its non-greasy
consistency helps to avoid awkward clothing stains. The band’s market success has been fueled by
a grasp of consumer demands and a consistent supply of products that are effective, as evidenced
by the many awards and honors given for both brand excellence and consumer trust.

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This balm was prepared to fit any usage circumstances, and it is offered in easy- to -carry 2.5gband
5g go- pack sizes as well as cost-effective 9g, 18g, and 45g package sizes.
(GSK.www.iodex.lk.2015. Iodex Balm.)

Figure 2.1 (GSK.www.iodex.lk.2015. Iodex Balm.) Figure 2.2 (GSK.www.iodex.lk.2015. Iodex Balm.)

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3. Promotional strategies of Iodex brand

Promotion means ways of presenting the products to potential customers. There are six
promotional mixes that are followed by the GSK company to promote the Iodex Balm product.

3.1. Advertising strategy

Body pain is a developing issue that affects people of all ages. The advertisements on
television and digital marketing campaigns through YouTube and OTT platforms were
launched by GSK Consumer Health Care to focus on the consumer audience that is more
prone to experiencing pain: office workers, homemakers, and chronic pain sufferers with
neck and shoulder discomfort, joint pains, and back pains. They are the three main target
demographics to promote Iodex balm. The campaign makes use of the full potential of
digital targeting by serving various audiences according to the degree of suffering they are
going through.

• There are examples of Iodex balm advertisement in Sri Lanka.

Figure 3.1 (www.youtube.com. 2021.Iodex The pain relief Specialist.)

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 Figure 3.2 (www.youtube.com.(2019).Iodex Tailoring TVC)

• There are examples of Iodex balm advertisement in India.

Figure 3.3 (www.youtube.com. (2021). New Iodex Ultra Gel-Body Pain Expert)

Figure 3.4 (www.youtube.com. 2021.New Iodex Ultra Gel-Body Pain Expert)

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• Advertising Iodex Balm through the Facebook platform.

Figure 3.5-Iodex Facebook Page in Sri Lanka Figure 3.6-Posts in Facebook

Figure 3.7 – Posts in Facebook in Sri Lanka

Figure 3.8- Facebook page India Figure 3.9- Posts in Facebook page India
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3.2. Sales promotions

Iodex is an over- the- counter (OTC) product. So, this will require various marketing
strategies and efforts for promotions to have vast distribution throughout the world and in
every region of the country. The GSK company provides buy one, get one free offers or
product bundles that include Iodex balm with other pain relief products for retail customers.
These products are available at every pharmacy, grocery store, and supermarket. (Standard.
B (2001). SmithKline To promote, Market Iodex Products)

Figure-3.11

Figure 3.10- Examples for sale promotion

Figure 3.12- Indian sale promotions

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3.3. Personal selling

Iodex balm is available in every pharmacy, grocery store and supermarket, which makes it easy
for consumers to access. There are two product ranges available in Sri Lanka: Iodex multipurpose
balm and Iodex Head Fast. (GSK.www.iodex.lk.2015. Iodex Balm.)

3.4. Public Relations

The Sri Lankan branch of GSK has the aim of focusing on the positive health of 2.5 billion
consumers for the next decade. They are trying to innovate vaccines and special medicines to
increase the prevention and treatment of various kinds of diseases. (www.gsk.com. (2022). Sri
Lanka.GSK)

Under the slogan “Don’t let pain stop you,” Iodex in Sri Lanka has offered a social welfare program
called “IODEX SUVASAHANA” at numerous sacred sites in the country ever since the project’s
inspection six years ago. They launched a program to comfort pilgrims who are experiencing head,
neck, back, and other physical aches and pains that accompany starting such a pilgrimage at Sri
Pada this year. Relief for devoted pilgrims is what Iodex intends to do through Iodex wellness
centers set up in Sri Pada offering free head and foot massages to pilgrims. Moreover, GSK’s main
brand Panadol, provided Panadol tablets to Iodex in order to promote their initiative and provide
additional relief for pilgrims. Also. This is assigned to a special team to assist the pilgrims,
particularly the elderly who encounter challenges while on their journey. The staff was prepared
to help people who suffered mishaps or injuries while traveling. They will try to continue this
social welfare campaign during the Sinhala – Hindu New Year, during Poson Poya Day at
Mihintale and at Nallur in August, as well as other Poya days and other important religious days.
(AdaDerana Biz English. Sri Lanka business news. (2023) ‘IODEX SUWASHANA’ makes the Sri
Pada Experience Pain free For Thousands of Pilgrims)

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Figure 3.13- (AdaDerana Biz English. Sri Lanka business news. (2023) ‘IODEX SUWASHANA’
makes the Sri Pada Experience Pain free For Thousands of Pilgrims)

3.5. Direct marketing

Iodex brand in GSK company uses email marketing to contact customers who have purchased
Iodex balm in previous situations, and they are provided special discounts and offers or coupons
to encourage purchasing these items repeatedly. They have just increased their online visibility for
marketing Iodex balm. Iodex has a global presence on Facebook and YouTube and launched its
Instagram profile page with an emphasis on the local languages of the countries while continuing
to advertise its products through the GSK social media platform in India. For instance, posts are
available on the Sri Lanka Iodex Instagram feed in Tamil and Sinhala, two of the country’s official
languages. More than 13000 subscribers, 4730 followers on Facebook, and more than 400
followers on Instagram. The goal of Iodex’s social media marketing strategy is to raise brand
awareness while interacting and engaging with the target audience through relevant content. Iodex
seeks to communicate its overall service through various social media strategies. There are various
kinds of online platforms for marketing Iodex balm, such as Amazon, Daraz, etc. (Chakraverty, A.
(2022). Mitigating Pain: Bineet Jain talks about marketing from an Iodex India point of view.
Social samosa.com.)

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3.6. Sponsorships

The Iodex brand has been designated as a presenting partner as a result of agreements for many
sports competitions. As an example, Tamil Thalaivas, a Pro Kabaddi League team with the title
“Iodex Thalaivas of the Defense” awards to the player who performs well defensively for the
squad. (SportsMint Media. (2022). Tamil Thalaivas ink new partnership)

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4. Local and International regulations (Health regulations and Promotional
regulations) related to the selected product.

4.1. Local health and promotional regulations

Sri Lankan government authorities and regulators have been provided support for local
manufacturing of the products in the GSK company for almost 60 years. GSK is regarded as the
market leader in pain relief, having invested heavily in local manufacturing with multinational
capabilities for the Iodex brand over the last half decade. (www.pressreader.com. (2015). Press
Reader.com-Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions)

National Medicine Regulatory Authority (NMRA) is the main regulatory body in Sri Lanka. It is
given power to regulate all aspects pertaining to medicines under the NMRA act No. 5, 2015. So,
that medicines made available in the nation are of high quality, effective, safe, and affordable
standards, by regulating and controlling all the medicines through manufacturing, importation,
storage, distribution, transportation, pricing, wholesale and retail sale, advertising, and disposal.
According to the NMRA Act, it is prohibited to manufacture or import medications without first
registering them with the NMRA. To conduct scientific and technical assessments, inspections,
and surveillance for registration, the Medicines Evaluation Committee (MEC) established under
the NMRA Act, shall use registration and certification procedures. (www.nmra.gov.lk (2019).
National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA)

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4.2. International health and promotional regulations

The medicinal products of the GSK company should be promoted according to the authorization
granted by the relevant country with the permission of the International Congress. They should be
promoted only for locally approved product information and medicinal indications. (docplayer.net,
2014)

The DCC is a legal advisory council established by the Central Government under Section 7 of the
D&C Act to advise the Central Government, the State Governments, and the Drugs Technical
Advisory Board on any topic aiming to ensure consistency in the D&C Act's administration across
India. The DCC has been considering the development of precise guidelines and standards to
control over-the-counter medications. (Law, 2019)

One of the largest orthopedic gatherings in South Asia, the Indian Orthopedic Association Annual
Conference'19 (IOACON), included an exclusive preview of Iodex Ultra Gel. To market the new
product's clinically validated credentials as part of the launch, the brand will be contacting
approximately five thousand orthopedics. (Bureau, 2020)

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5. How far GlaxoSmithKline company abides by those regulations.

As the GSK company is a leading global health care company, they proved that by following
standard guidelines and policies to improve the quality of human life by providing high- quality,
safe, and effective healthcare products to various countries throughout the world. This company
follows the UK Bribery Act (2010) and the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (1977) for global
marketing and, moreover, operates individually under anti-corruption and competition laws. Also,
they promote their brands with high ethical, medical, and scientific standards. (Living our values
and expectations, 2021)

This company frequently takes part in regulatory inspections conducted by governments in the
markets where it markets GSK products. These checks aid in ensuring that high standards of
quality, especially those related to product quality and safety, are met throughout activities in
research, manufacture, and distribution. No matter how trivial an inspection finding may be, they
respond to it by taking the required remedial and preventative action. So, most of the products
were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (www.gsk.com, 2022)

As they followed local and international regulations, GSK company in Sri Lanka awarded SLIM
Brand Excellence Awards for Iodex brand as silver and bronze in the “International Brand of the
Year” and “Turnaround Brand of the Year” categories while a bronze award was given for ENO
brand in the “International Brand of the Year” category in 2019. (Bing,2019)

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6. Conclusion

In conclusion, GlaxoSmithKline has been producing and marketing Iodex Balm, a trustworthy and
well-known painkiller, for a long time. Customers frequently choose the balm because of its
distinctive component combination and ability to effectively relieve stiffness, sprains, and strains
in the muscles and joints. The success of the product is a result of GSK's dedication to quality and
sustainability. To ensure that Iodex Balm complies with global safety and quality standards, the
company has put in place strict quality control procedures.

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References

1. AdaDerana Biz English | Sri Lanka Business News. (2023). ‘IODEX SUVASAHANA’
Makes the Sri Pada Experience Pain-Free For Thousands of Pilgrims. [online] Available
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free-for-thousands-of-pilgrims/

2. Bing. (2019). iodex awrd slim nilson award. [online] Available at:
https://www.bing.com/search?q=iodex+awrd+slim+nilson+award&FORM=HDRSC1

3. Bureau, M.D. (2020). GSK launches Iodex UltraGel. [online]

business.medicaldialogues.in. Available at: https://business.medicaldialogues.in/pharma-
news/gsk-launches-iodex-ultragel-62731

4. Chakraverty, A. (2022). Mitigating Pain: Bineet Jain talks about marketing from an Iodex
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https://www.socialsamosa.com/2022/03/iodex-marketing-strategy-bineet-jain/

5. docplayer.net. (2014). GSK Code of Practice for promotion and customer interactions -
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practice-for-promotion-and-customer-
interactions.html#:~:text=GSK%20must%20only%20promote%20products%20in%20a%
20country

6. Law, C. (2019). India - Over The Counter Drugs – Regulatory Clarity In The Horizon.
[online] Conventus Law. Available at: https://conventuslaw.com/report/india-over-the-
counter-drugs-regulatory-clarity-in/

7. Living our values and expectations. (2021). Available at:

https://www.gsk.com/media/4800/english-code-of-conduct.pdf.

8. SportsMint Media. (2022). Tamil Thalaivas ink new partnership with Iodex. [online]
Available at: https://sportsmintmedia.com/tamil-thalaivas-ink-new-partnership-with-
iodex/#:~:text=The%2

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https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/responsibility/product-governance/#regulatory-inspections

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https://www.iodex.lk/products/balm.html

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https://youtu.be/PbmxAnaBI-c

16. www.youtube.com. (2021). Iodex The Pain Relief Specialist. [online] Available at:
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