Over the past two years, the Ontario government has imposed changes on the drug system, forcing independent pharmacists to make huge cuts in their services, said Ben Shenouda, president of the IPO.

As a result, independently owned pharmacies closures were up 20% in 2007 compared to the year before, while 14% more were forced to sell to chains during the same period.

The recent cost-cutting measures by the Ontario government are making it hard for independent pharmacists to stay afloat, said Shenouda, who hopes the campaign helps the government understand the situation from a pharmacist’s perspective.

The campaign, by Toronto agency Yield, includes print ads running in select daily and weekly newspapers across the province, collateral material that can be found in independent pharmacies, as well as SaveMyPharmacy.com.  

The creative encourages patients to contact government representatives to let them know they value the services of independent pharmacists.

Information about IPO, facts and figures, and contact information for Ontario’s minister of health and long-term care and local MPPs can be found on the site.

The campaign launched last Friday and will run for the next two weeks. The website is up indefinitely. Yield also handled the media buy, while the Devon Group is overseeing PR efforts.

Originally published in Marketing Magazine, October 2008

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