Helpex® is a Ukrainian over-the-counter pharmaceutical brand for ARVI, flu, and cold treatment, positioned under the slogan “Swiss Quality, Ukrainian Care.” Product line: Helpex Anticold (sachets and tablets), Helpex LAR (throat spray), Helpex Effect (ointment). The brand is the winner of “Panacea 2021” in the “OTC Product of the Year” category and a multiple-time participant in the “Favourite of Success” ranking. Before partnering with IT WEB, the brand’s website did not reflect the full product line, lacked a responsive design, and did not support advertising campaigns with dedicated landing pages. Social media activity was irregular with no clear strategy.
CHALLENGE
- Build a modern brand website with a full product catalogue and usage instructions.
- Comply with regulatory requirements for pharmaceutical advertising in Ukraine.
- Launch targeted advertising on Facebook / Instagram during the cold season (October – March).
- Establish a recognisable visual identity in social media that reflects the “Swiss quality” positioning.
- Increase brand awareness and the volume of branded search queries.
SOLUTION
Website. Designed a structure tailored to a pharmaceutical brand: home → products (individual page per preparation) → symptoms (where to buy) → about the brand → news. Each product page includes composition, indications, dosage instructions, available forms, and links to pharmacy locators. Implemented a mobile-first approach: over 70% of pharmaceutical traffic comes from smartphones. Integrated schema.org MedicalWebPage + Drug markup for correct Google indexing.
SEO. Clustered semantics by symptom: “what to take for fever”, “medicine for cough and runny nose”, “flu tablets”. Optimised page speed: LCP < 1.8 s, full Core Web Vitals compliance. Set up GA4 + Looker Studio for visitor behaviour tracking.
Facebook / Instagram advertising. Developed a content strategy around two seasonal peaks: October–November (prevention) and December–February (active ARVI season). Target audiences: parents of children aged 3–12, women aged 25–45 (primary OTC buyers), health and pharmacy enthusiasts. Ad formats: carousel (product line), Reels (symptom → solution in 15 seconds), Stories with “Find in pharmacy” CTA. All advertising materials were approved in compliance with the Ministry of Health requirements and the Law of Ukraine “On Advertising” (mandatory disclaimers, prohibited health claims for medicines).
Content and creatives. Developed a unified visual style: blue-and-white brand kit, minimalist graphics, family scenes (home, comfort, care). Monthly output: 12–16 posts + 4–8 Reels. UGC content from real buyers was integrated into ad campaigns as social proof.
Tech stack: WordPress, custom theme, ACF Pro, Yoast SEO, schema.org, GA4, Meta Ads Manager, Meta Pixel, Looker Studio, Adobe Illustrator (creatives), CapCut / Premiere Pro (Reels).
RESULTS OVER THE SEASON (5 MONTHS)
- +210% branded “Helpex” Google searches compared to the previous season.
- Meta Ads campaign CTR — 3.8% (pharmaceutical benchmark ~1.1%).
- CPM reduced by −38% through audience and frequency optimisation.
- Instagram reach grew from 4,200 to 31,000 unique accounts per month (+638%).
- Average time on site — 2 min 14 s, bounce rate — 34% (21% better than the industry average).
- LCP 1.7 s, CLS 0.01 — full Core Web Vitals compliance.