● SKYCellflu Recognized as Topmost Brand in the Flu Vaccine Market Just Two Months after Launch

- Selected as `Korea`s Highest Brand` in flu vaccines
- Recognized for its innovative formula, production method and reliability by over 30,000 users
  and experts... consistent results at home and abroad



After successfully shifting the vaccine market paradigm, SK chemicals` SKYCellflu®, Korea`s first cell-culture influenza vaccine, has earned the country`s top brand value rating in just two months since release.

SK chemicals (Man-hun Park, President) announced on the 27th of this month that the company`s new SKYCellflu vaccine was selected for the `Korea`s Highest Brand 2015` honor in the domain of influenza vaccines. Brand evaluations were conducted by the brand value assessment firm BrandStock, and the accolade is sponsored by the Yonsei University Business Research Institute.

Currently in its tenth year, the `Korea`s Highest Brand` program selects and awards South Korea`s top-value brands every year.

Brand value is measured using the KBHI assessment model co-developed by BrandStock and the Yonsei University Business Research Institute, and various aspects such as product innovation, differentiation, reliability, and trend influence are evaluated by panels consisting of over 30,000 consumers and experts.

SKYCellflu received high scores in innovation and reliability in the two-month evaluation conducted since its release this August, which led to the influenza vaccine achieving first place in brand value in its category.

SK chemicals focused on and achieved results in promoting and marketing SKYCellflu to differentiate the product and build consumer confidence in South Korea where cell-culture influenza vaccines are still relatively unknown.

The company raised brand awareness by appointing actor Jin-hee Ji as their honorary PR ambassador at the time of the product`s launch in August, and the vaccine`s efficacy and benefits were introduced to medical professionals through product launch symposiums held in six different cities throughout the country.

Jin-hee Ji, who has a well-regarded image of integrity built through various movies and TV shows, played a significant role in imbuing a trustworthy and friendly image to the new influenza vaccine.

In addition to Jin-hee Ji`s contributions, SK chemicals organized various media campaigns to inform the general public of the benefits of vaccination just in time for the start of this year`s flu season.

Such aggressive promotional activities are considered unusual for prescription drugs such as influenza vaccines, but SK chemicals spared no expense or effort due to their confidence in SKYCellflu`s product competitiveness.

BrandStock`s BSTI Director Ok-geun Kang stated, "SKYCellflu received especially high marks in reliability in our brand value assessment. The innovations in producing the vaccine without the use of fertilized eggs or antibiotics as well as the dramatic reduction in production time were the main factors contributing to recognition of the product`s high value."

SK chemicals has previously been recognized for the brand power of some of their other products.

Through unprecedented `color marketing` campaigns in the pharmaceutical industry, Trast® had gained recognition as the representative brand for arthritis medicine, and Ginexin® became a top brand in ginkgo-biloba-based blood circulation medicine.

"The brand awareness we achieved with Trast and Ginexin has been achieved once again," said an SK chemicals official. "We will continue to enhance the brand power of SKYCellflu to maintain a leading position in the market."

Since its launch this August, the cumulative sales of SKYCellflu surpassed three million doses, rapidly expanding the brand’s market share. Last month, the vaccine`s efficacy was recognized internationally when the results of its clinical trials were published in Vaccine, an acclaimed international medical journal.

Not one to rest on its laurels, SK chemicals participated in IDWeek, the world`s largest conference on infectious diseases, to promote its latest achievement, the world`s first quadrivalent cell-culture influenza vaccine. The event was held from September 7th through 11th in San Diego, CA.



[Photo]
SK chemicals` SKYCellflu, the world`s first cell-culture influenza vaccine for children and Korea`s first for adults.