GSK was slated to receive FDA approval for transitioning their prescription arthritis pain relief product to OTC. The brand needed a multi-phased website plan to accommodate the different stages when entering the market with a new OTC drug.
My role: Content strategy lead, UX research partner, UX design partner, UX writer.
The situation
GSK’s prescription topical arthritis pain reliever, Voltaren, was set to move to over-the-counter (OTC) availability.
It was a big moment, as Voltaren would then be the only topical NSAID drug on the market. That’s a rare occasion, and GSK wanted to make a splash.
The complication
This was no ordinary website, however. It was three websites, one for each phase of the product launch:
- Pre-launch phase, to share the benefits of the prescription version
- Pre-order phase: a limited site to inform people about its upcoming OTC status and to facilitate product pre-orders
- Full site, with e-commerce integration and all site features/content
Each phase had different content needs, different reach, and different audiences.
A partnership with the Arthritis Foundation added some additional needs to the project, as the client wanted this to become the first arthritis-friendly website experience.
And the FDA timeline shifted several times!
The question
How can we create three sites, hit FDA timelines, and make this site arthritis-friendly?
The answer
With a carefully crafted strategy, centered on content and the user experience, spanning all of their digital surfaces.
Our website scope included data analysis, persona & journey development, content strategy, UX design, visual design, content development, and testing.
The eCRM scope included content strategy, email user flows, email content development, and ongoing program management.
Dependencies included the FDA, the Arthritis Foundation, and Paula Abdul (the spokesperson).
The process
We provided a total support system for arthritis sufferers:
- Developed search-optimized educational content that promoted and supported overall health and wellness for arthritis patients
- Included accessibility modifications for arthritis patients: large tap targets, text resizing, and the ability to view hands-free content via videos
- Created the first GSK site with voice search capabilities and voice chat
- Tested prototypes in partnership with the Arthritis Foundation to validate an optimal user experience relevant to arthritis sufferers
- Paired it with a first-party data collection, an eCRM strategy, and a targeted email program
Some samples from the client-facing presentation:
The results
Consumer-centric innovation and content
We conducted prototype testing with arthritis patients which showed that 99% of users found the website easy to use. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, especially for our accessibility modifications.
During the first month, over one third of queries within on-site search were via voice input vs. typing.
During the first month of launch we had over 35,000 users opt-in to our eCRM program. This is a conversion rate of 17%, which was 4x our estimated target.
Product education and clear paths to purchase
Pre-order week 1 was noted by Shoppable as the highest one-week total sales of any brand partner.
Pre-order drove strong awareness and conversion into the brand with Voltaren achieving #1 in the External Analgesics Category within 3 weeks and #4 in the Total Pain Category within 4 weeks.