How Apollo Spectra’s #PilesFreeIndia Campaign Redefined Piles Awareness in India

Apollo Spectra’s #PilesFreeIndia Campaign Winner – Brand Equity Shark Award | Category: Healthcare Awareness Campaign

Background

Apollo Spectra Hospitals, a leading name in short-stay surgeries, identified a crucial gap in awareness and treatment uptake for piles (hemorrhoids) in India. Although a common condition, piles is surrounded by stigma, misinformation, and delays in medical intervention. The majority of patients self-medicate or suffer silently until symptoms escalate. To tackle this, Apollo Spectra launched the #PilesFreeIndia campaign — a comprehensive initiative to educate, screen, and convert awareness into timely surgical care.

Campaign Objectives

1. Increase surgical volume and revenue for piles-related cases.
2. Establish Apollo Spectra as the “One-Stop Solution” for all proctology-related problems.
3. Position Apollo Spectra as a market leader in piles treatment through both brand perception and patient trust.

Consumer Insight

Most patients first approach general practitioners or gynecologists. There’s hesitancy in openly discussing piles due to embarrassment. Patients often delay treatment until symptoms severely affect their lifestyle. This insight shaped the foundation of a journey-based marketing funnel — guiding patients from awareness to surgery, while addressing emotional and informational barriers.

Strategy

The campaign was built on a full-funnel, patient-centric model spanning five stages:

1. Awareness Creation
2. Brand Selection
3. Diagnosis
4. Treatment
5. Post-Surgery Recovery

Execution

1. Awareness & Early Engagement

Symptom-based Scorecards in English and regional languages distributed across OPDs, clinics, and corporate partners. Creatives like “Are Your Nature Calls Painful?” and “Don’t Pile on the Pain” broke the silence with visual intrigue. Digital amplification through Google Ads, SEO blogs, social media targeting piles-related search behavior.

2. Screening & Diagnosis

Free piles screening at Apollo Spectra hospitals through campaign vouchers. Patient Education Brochures and outreach camps in partnership with GPs and Gynaecologists. Use of score-based communication to classify and direct patients for surgical consultation.

3. Brand Trust

Building Special focus on female colorectal surgeons for women patients. Use of testimonials, explainer blogs, and doctor video stories. Regional advertorials and review amplification.

4. Conversion & Lead Nurturing

WhatsApp engagement, email drip campaigns, and lead management software ensured timely follow-up. In-clinic branding and brochures helped reinforce recall and decision-making.

Results

Metric Impact Surgical conversion-

1. 3X Increase in targeted surgeries Leads generated through Scorecards

2. 10,000+ patients screened Corporate & GP engagement 80+ partners activated

3. Google search ranking #1 in piles treatment search terms

4. Brand recall Significantly improved, especially in Tier-1 cities

Award Recognition

The success of the #PilesFreeIndia campaign earned Apollo Spectra Hospitals the prestigious Brand Equity Shark Award, recognizing excellence in strategic healthcare marketing and execution.

#PilesFreeIndia redefined how healthcare communication can drive both clinical outcomes and business goals. By demystifying a taboo topic, educating patients, and empowering primary doctors, Apollo Spectra positioned itself not just as a hospital — but as India’s trusted proctology partner.