In an exclusive interaction with SCIKEY, Felicia speaks about how COVID has affected overall branding and marketing strategy, challenges faced & how she overcame the situation also she talks about the biggest branding and marketing lessons she has learned in her current role & much more.
1. Tell us about yourself and your current role.
A health marketing enthusiast, who always look for opportunities for growth, either in work/career, life and personal development. Have conducted close to 100 LIVE TRAINING sessions (physically or virtually) on topics related to health, as well as research presentations to local/overseas scientific community. Currently attached to Mega Lifesciences (a.k.a. Mega-Bio-LiFE) as Brand Manager. My day-to-day (new) challenges include finding ways to cope with the new WFH practice, the new culture, management and communication style, as well as meeting the high expectations of customers and healthcare regulators. Inspired by the great psychologist, Carol Dweck who first came up with the concept of “Growth Mindset”, I am always learning-fixing-evolving-improving in whatever I do. I very much focus on “contribution” and how I can help my employer, business partners, friends and family members to meet their goals and most importantly, to focus on the “process” rather than the “outcome”, so that we can grow to become better.
2. As a brand manager for Mega LifeSciences, what does your day-to-day work schedule look like?
As the position reads “Brand Manager”, the responsibility is beyond just managing products and its lifecycle. The scope extends from top-line (sales & profit) to everything bottom-line which includes the brand’s assets: image, awareness, sentiment, associations, its relationships with customers and the brand’s equity in the industry. Hence, there is no one fixed routine in my day-to-day work schedule at the moment. Work is very much based on urgency and priority of the matter.
3. How has COVID-19 affected your overall branding and marketing strategy and what challenges have you had to overcome?
Our business is currently doing very well quite unexpectedly in the midst of the pandemic. COVID-19 has “affected” most of our brands in a good, positive manner, mainly driven by the heightened consumer awareness about the importance of overall wellness and immune health. Due to the increased demand for health supplements, we have to work very hard to make sure our supply meets market demand, as well as keeping up with local political and wellness trends, in order to keep our customers happy and protected. Consumers now are very demanding and conscious when comes to health claims and brand promises we make. As a reputable company with more than 10 years history operating in Malaysia, we uphold our promises to provide only the right dosage, right ingredients, right healthcare solutions, without giving any false, exaggerating information like most unregulated, F&B companies do.
4. What are the biggest branding and marketing lessons that you’ve learned in this role?
One false claim could cost a life. I have seen lots of unregulated ads on social media, using “word baits” such as “cure, treat, heal, etc” to lure people into buying their products to treat a medical condition. Many companies got sued and had their products recalled by health authorities due to non-compliance that cost them tremendously on their reputation and consumer trust– one good example is the slimming pills. Hence, DO NOT OVERCLAIM, especially during times of pandemic when immediate, proven solutions are not yet available. Just like accounting, we have to give valid reasons as to WHY we are providing this amount of ingredient and HOW the product delivers the health claim that we make on-pack. Being in the healthcare industry, everything we do has to be back by solid science (not pseudo-science) and needs to be closely monitored by local health authorities.
5. You are an experienced Product Marketing/Brand Manager and Certified Nutritionist. How did these experiences help shape your healthcare career?
Being a certified Nutritionist, my ultimate passion is always about health & wellness and how I could use my knowledge to benefit people who are seeking health solutions. My years of experiences have solidified my purposes in helping people gain health and stay fit for a better quality of life. I will never settle for a company who does not put employee’s HEALTH or workplace wellness as priority. A very good example is my recent departure from an MNC specializing in Consumer Goods. The global direction of the previous employer has changed dramatically since the pandemic started in March 2020. Instead of focusing on health & wellness category, the company opts to channel all resources and manpower into growing other categories in the core business - this sends a huge signal to me that SALES MATTERS MORE THAN PEOPLE. My portfolio extends to other non-core / non-health categories, severely deviated from my expertise and passion in health. Without long hesitation, I decided to move on with another company, which is now Mega Lifesciences.
6. What advice would you give to someone just starting in the consumer healthcare industry?
Learning is a lifelong journey. Consumer healthcare is fast-paced and always evolving around health discoveries and scientific developments. Take time to learn. Be Patient. Your time will come.
About SCIKEY:
SCIKEY, is a Digital platform for Jobs, Work & Talent Solutions. Our vision is to create jobs & work opportunities for billion minds. Our mission is to help employers worldwide get access to quality talent and talent solutions in a click.
'SCIKEY Assured,' a premium managed services offering by SCIKEY, delivers the best outcomes to enterprise customers globally for talent solutions getting delivered offshore, remotely, or on-premise. We are super-proud to be working with some of the world's most iconic Fortune1000 brands.
