Grey & Hill & Knowlton: Haleon’s Access Codes

Traditional product branding neglects the 2.2bn visually impaired individuals around the world, leaving them uninformed about essential details on labels. With 93% of visually impaired people feeling excluded and risking incorrect dosages, Grey partnered with Haleon, GSK's consumer healthcare company, to introduce Access Codes, a ground-breaking solution that uses barcodes and sound to convey crucial information on healthcare packaging.

Addressing the challenge of creating accessible packaging, Grey harnessed the power of existing barcodes on Haleon products and collaborated with Microsoft's Seeing AI app. This innovative approach transformed the barcodes into Access Codes, enabling the vital product information to be communicated verbally. By streamlining the user experience for individuals with visual impairments, Grey ensured equal access to healthcare information.

Recognising that the target audience consumes information differently, Grey embraced an audio-first strategy. Through partnerships with technology, healthcare, visually impaired lifestyle podcasts, influencers and The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), Grey and Hill & Knowlton worked closely with Haleon to raise awareness about Access Codes. This collaboration with the visually impaired community played a pivotal role in shaping the solution and ensuring authenticity and resonance. The communications campaign centred around an original song, introduced on World Sight Day, which leveraged audio platforms such as radio. Also, a visually impaired director collaborated on an accompanying music video that reached an even wider audience.

The impact of Access Codes, since their launch, has been significant. Haleon's brand trust surpassed competitors, with 53% of consumers expressing a preference for the brand. The familiarity with Haleon increased by 40%, with the brand becoming synonymous with ‘making everyday health more accessible’ for a significantly larger audience. The integration of Access Codes into the Seeing AI app resulted in a 10-fold increase in downloads, reaching an estimated 2.5m people. Furthermore, Haleon experienced positive business outcomes, including 4.3% growth in price and 4.7% growth in volume in its 2022 full-year report. Access Codes generated over 547m impressions, with 67% of them being audio impressions, demonstrating how well they connected with the target audience.