Robitussin Relief Finder

This idea has been around for decades ... I pitched it myself to a client or three through the years and have even made a few here and there. The notion of giving a tool to consumers to help figure out their cough, cold, and flu symptoms and then help them select the right medicine can truly be meaningful to someone not feeling well or who has a sick kid. The age-old question of "is it a cold or the flu" is a hard one to answer!

Of course the symptom analyzer has taken many forms through the years. When I first did one, it was a consumer brochure printed on ... wait a minute ... paper! It was handed out in doctors' offices and then eventually we did one that sat on the retail shelf as a "take-one".

When the web came along (boy do I sound old), we created one on the brand's website. Of course now it's all about the smart phone and being mobile.

So enter Robitussin and their new "Relief Finder" app. Similar in nature to its ancestor on paper, this new app allows consumers to select their symptoms and then find the right Robitussin product to give them relief. Of course the magic comes from being able to do that right at the shelf.

Have you shopped one of these shelves lately -- it's very hard to figure out which product to buy. With the app right there, consumers can now match up the photo on their mobile phone to the package on the shelf. Couldn't get easier. There's also a feature to help find a store within a specific zip code that carries the product.

So the insight is still the same: consumers need help deciphering their symptoms and finding the right products to get relief. Technology has simply made it more convenient and valuable.

Good job, Robitussin.

What's your experience? Jim.