Berocca Blog Campaign Draws Mixed Reception

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the reaction to a campaign by Coca Cola to target bloggers in Brazil to promote a new drink.

I mused at the time that what was actually a pretty innovatove strategy using early adopters and influencers had been lost because it was done by Coca Cola, and that those bloggers not chosen had instinctively taken against the idea. I was slightly correct.

In the UK, Berocca has been promoting itself to the blogging community in a similar manner. Berocca's Blogger Relief Pack was available to the first 50 entrants to the form on their site. i-level launched the campaign on their own blog, and it soon had a healthy amount of debate in the blogosphere.


The Beam Team and Sandrine Plasseraud were enthusiastic, even more so when their packs arrived (there's a full shot of the contents here - I love the stress button).

Simon Collister, however, was less impressed at his failure to be among the chosen 50, and became suspicious after his protests when he suddenly joined the lucky few. BlogTillYouDrop had a similarly cautious assessment.

Again, the message seems to be that those who are included and feel as though they have 'discovered' something will embrace it. I've come across things that proved ultimately to be pretty useless, but while I thought nobody else knew about them I was particularly effusive.

Conversely the feeling of exclusion from the 'select few' is never going to make a blogger receptive or welcoming to an idea. I'm sure there is a middle ground to be struck but, and this is especially applicable to the likes of Coca Cola, you'll never be far away from bitter accusations of bribery.

I wasn't quick enough off the mark with this at all, which is a shame because I have actually used Berocca in the past and am a big believer in its 'pick-me-up' qualities. I would have loved a stress button too, although there is far too much crap on my desk as it is. I am, however, open to bribes...