Tonic Health Media acquires Torch Media’s digital pharmacy network
Out-of-home health network Tonic Health Media has taken ownership of Torch Media’s digital pharmacy network, which includes 250 screens across the country, following a $7-million-plus capital raising late last year.
Tonic managing director Dr Matthew Cullen said the acquisition helped “close the loop on the patient’s journey from point-of-care at the GP, to point-of-dispensing at the pharmacy”.
“We know that most visits to the doctor take about an hour, from arriving in the doctor’s waiting room to visiting a nearby pharmacy to fill a prescription… From a commercial perspective, we’re thrilled at the sophistication this brings our offering, and we’re excited to expand our quality, health educational content into new environments,” he said.
The acquisition includes 250 high-definition screens – 26% in New South Wales, 23% in Victoria, and 21% in Queensland – which the company says will help it reach over 14 million Australians per month.
Tonic also announced an exclusive arrangement with Gold Cross, the commercial arm of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, which has over 4,000 community pharmacy members across the country.
Cullen said this, combined with the acquisition, made Tonic “perhaps the strongest example of a targeted out-of-home media network in the country”.
“We can now effectively reach patients along a chain of moments where they’re highly engaged with their surroundings. They’re thinking about their health, and our network is there to help them drive meaningful conversations with healthcare professionals, and to expand their consideration set with new health and wellness-aligned products. The relationship with Gold Cross allows us to partner and develop a strong value proposition to advertisers, pharmacy and their customers,” he said.
TorchMedia, CEO Andrew Gibson commented: “It has been a pleasure to partner with Gold Cross in delivering pharmacy digital Out-of-Home media for the past decade. It was our considered view that the pharmacy business would achieve better outcomes for consumers, advertisers and pharmacy being in the hands of a specialty health media company such as Tonic.”
The acquisition of Torch Media’s digital pharmacy network follows Tonic Health Media’s re-brand and upgrade of its television screens, channel content and brochure board assets spanning 4,500+ doctors’ and hospital waiting areas across the country earlier this year.
Mumbrella’s Health & Wellness Marketing Summit is taking place in Sydney on 6 September and will feature Tonic Health Media’s co-founder Dr Norman Swan who will provide a snapshot of how Australians perceive their health, and the health industry in 2017, and just where consumers are spending money across the health and wellness sector. For more information, or to purchase tickets, click here.
