Walgreens launches digital initiatives
Walgreens has introduced two innovative digital initiatives to support its omnichannel strategy: one to help patients stick to their medication regimens, and another to drive social media engagement via video beauty tips.
The company has launched an app for the Apple Watch that helps keep patients on their medication schedules. The retailer also announceda partnership with the Challenged app to encourage Walgreens customers to share viral videos.
“Walgreens apps and services are designed to provide customers with ultimate access, choice and convenience — we want to help remove friction and make the customer experience as simple as possible,” said Sona Chawla, president of digital and chief marketing officer for Walgreens. “Whether that’s launching new wearables technology that promotes adherence and proper health regimens or making it easier, safer, and more private to redeem Balance Rewards points through mobile payments with Apple Pay, we want to help customers manage their lives.”
Walgreens also announced the planned integration of Balance Rewards with Apple Pay, coming this fall to stores with the launch of rewards support for Apple Pay. Beginning this fall, Apple Pay will provide immediate access to Balance Rewards without separately scanning a Balance Rewards card.
Additionally, Balance Rewards members will be able to view their current rewards points balance through Apple Pay. The ability to view points directly from the surfaced card provides easier access to loyalty points at checkout and allows users to see how much they can redeem.
The Apple Watch app connects with the user’s Pill Reminders inside the Walgreens iPhone app, and Apple’s “actionable alerts” allow the user to mark a medication as taken or skipped, as well as view which medications might have been missed or may be taken next. Refill Reminders predict when medication may be running low and offer users a one-touch method to initiate a refill. The user will receive a follow-up notification when the medication is ready for pickup.
The Walgreens Challenged initiative takes inspiration from last year's viral Ice Bucket Challenge and works to create a social challenge creation and fulfillment experience for users, celebrity influencers, and charities to drive healthy competition and positive social change.
Users joining the app will find it already populated with a challenge from Walgreens, which asks users to bring their best summer beauty tip to life in a 12-second video using either CIRCA Beauty or Nonie Creme Colour Prevails products available exclusively at Walgreens.
The 30-day video challenge will run from June 9 through July 8 with the official Walgreens beauty challenge hashtag: #BeautyChallengeContest
"Video continues to be a compelling way to tell a great story. Today, more than ever, user-generated content inspires action and connects brands with customers," Adam Kmiec, senior director of mobile, social and content marketing for Walgreens, said. "We believe the Challenged collaboration will be an effective and unique approach to reaching a key consumer audience and driving omni-channel conversions."