Campaign Stats:

  • 53 Items of Coverage
  • Air Time: 115 Minutes
  • Audience Reach: 2.14 Million
  • Circulation: 967K
  • 843 Social Shares

4media group worked with ASDA in order to boost brand awareness and specifically promote their pharmacies through an integrated campaign. The campaign consisted of research, broadcast and news generation elements. Specifically the campaign cantered around the true cost of sick day in the UK.

TV’s Dr Hillary Jones and pharmacist Maq Din fronted the campaign, giving broadcasters and publishers more insight into the findings of the research and wider insight in to the health impact of going back to work too soon.

Research of over 2000 employed adults, conducted by our in-house research division, Atomik Research, reveal that many people are going to work ill due to work restrictions or worries.  The research found that over a fifth (21%) of employed adults do not get paid for any sick days taken off work. Furthermore, 51% of employed adults only get a limited number of paid sick days by their workplace. Of those who have a limited number of sick days they can take, 38% are only allowed up to 5 days.

Sadly, 74% of employed adults said they would feel obliged to come into work if they weren’t well. Those who have paid sick days are more likely to cite guilt and fear (from their boss or colleagues) as a reason to come in, while those who don’t get paid sick days physically can’t afford to take the time off.

Others reasons given include, worries about the work load piling up (23%), 21% say there isn’t anyone else to cover their work and 18% feel their colleagues/boss might judge them for being off.

Employees have come into work with a cold or the flu three times on average in the past year and 60% of employed adults believe they have caught a cold from a colleague that has come into work ill.

The campaign achieved widespread media coverage, picking up interviews and coverage across both broadcast and news outlets. Highlights included Talk Radio, BBC Radio West Midlands, The Daily Mirror, The Sun Online, The Scottish Sun online, The Scottish Sun, The Daily Record, The Newcastle Evening Chronicle and much more! View the full coverage for the campaign here.