Promoting digital healthcare during COVID: Online NHS prescription service Echo appoints Ekstasy

After a competitive three-way pitch, Echo a free online NHS prescription service part of the LloydsPharmacy family, is the latest big name to join award-winning creative agency Ekstasy’s books.

Ekstasy will launch a multi-channel advertising campaign to promote contactless prescriptions, led by TV advertising. To help give freedom and choice to patients during COVID, Ekstasy will help Echo to increase its national brand awareness with eye-catching campaigns.

A strong TV campaign will help increase awareness of Echo’s online NHS prescription service. An online pharmacy and an agency called Ekstasy may seem like an unlikely partnership, but it is precisely this creative clash which will make the campaigns effective. Ekstasy will help Echo by LloydsPharmacy cut through the sea of sameness that exists in the pharmacy market. The agency will pioneer a unique brand positioning and establish a creative advertising storytelling platform that Echo can build on in the future. By raising awareness of the free online service, the team want to empower more patients to access their repeat medicine in England, without putting themselves or others at risk.

Mike Saraswat, CEO and Founder of Ekstasy said “We are excited to be working with Echo to bring benefits of online pharmacy to millions across the country to help them stay well. We know we have the skills to build a compelling story and make a connection with people. We’ll be working across TV and digital first, to get the message out there. Echo by LloydsPharmacy has seen sign ups soar since the start of the pandemic. But there are millions more out there who could benefit from this free prescription delivery service.”

Matthew Simpson, Ekstasy’s Chief Creative Officer said “Ekstasy’s creative campaign for Echo will explore the premise that keeping well shouldn’t make you unwell, and that repeat prescriptions should no longer be a worry.”

Emma Tully, Head of Marketing of Echo said “Echo has grown by 402% in response to COVID, and currently supports over 400,000 NHS patients and 9,500 GP surgeries. Now more than ever, we need to get the message across that free prescription delivery is available to all patients comfortable using technology to manage their medicine. Echo offers reminders when it’s time to order and take your medicine, plus the ability to organise prescriptions for the entire family. Here at Echo, we decided to partner with Ekstasy as our creative agency, for our upcoming campaign because Ekstasy can help us raise awareness of our service to those who could benefit. With our media thinking and brand purpose in alignment, we’re looking to drive performance across multiple channels.”

Ekstasy will be creating a series of national advertising campaigns designed to encourage patients to try out the exceptional Echo service in the convenience of their home, making repeat prescriptions painless. They plan to use their world- famous storytelling skills to drive emotional engagement and make the Echo brand truly memorable. Keeping patients healthy, one prescription at a time.

Echo and Ekstasy will be working together throughout 2021, and are aiming to broadcast their first campaign advert in March this year.

Source: Ekstasty

  Digital Healthcare, Echo, Ekstasy, Emma Tully, Matthew Simpson, Mike Saraswat