client

service 

Dis-Chem

Multichannel Publishing

01.

In brief

Client Dis-Chem Pharmacies Limited, a South African-based company, wholesales and retails pharmaceutical, medical devices, health, and beauty products.

We have published the Dis‑Chem Benefits magazine for over two decades in print form. It is a custom publication that extends the brand beyond the store with interesting, relevant content, engaging the audience and encouraging the reader to migrate to being a shopper through their interaction with the magazine. We successfully implemented a digital magazine solution through the development of a microsite where the content of the print magazine could be read online.

While Dis-Chem was developing their new Dis‑Chem brand positioning in 2022, we were asked at the beginning of 2023 to implement this new ethos in what has become a significant touchpoint for both readers and advertisers alike—the Benefits magazine.

02.

What we did

A decision to align the quarterly Benefits magazine with BETTER HEALTH STARTS HERE required the repositioning of the magazine and birth of the BETTER magazine. A design change incorporating a shift in the tone and language we use while retaining the dynamic editorial mix readers enjoy.

Working closely with the Dis-Chem C-Suite leadership—and liaising with M&C Saatchi Abel who were working on the TTL brand positioning—to understand the broader brand objectives, we launched the BETTER magazine in print and online.

The development of the new look magazine allowed us to fully harness the features of the iPaper platform. We now publish the online BETTER magazine monthly, and while content is shared across both the print and digital platforms, we produce digital-specific content to accommodate advertisers and new products enhancing the agility of the digital offering.

This platform, while boasting the ability to allow readers to shop online, can also feature rich content in the form of videos, animated GIFs, hyperlinks, content frames, and image galleries, as well as animation and enrichment functionality. We employ all these features.

03.

Outcome

The successful interpretation and implementation of the broader brand objective in the print segment of Dis-Chem’s media stream.
The successful development of a seamless reading experience in both online and print media.
The opportunity for advertisers to have their adverts represented in multiple channels with active engagement mechanisms such as video content and giving readers the option to make a purchase directly from the magazine.
The integration of analytic mechanisms into the online magazine sees the Dis-Chem team onboard Benefit Card members, successfully target reader marketing, track shopping trends, and gauge the success of various social media activities.
The magazine is publicised in-store, online, and via social media and is available in both print and digital environments, reaching a larger readership and adding greater value to all stakeholders.
All aspects of the brand repositioning for the BETTER magazine update were rolled out for the BETTER Parent & Child magazine—a monthly digital magazine structured for expecting parents through to parents of children aged seven.