Dolo-650 is a sensation in India. If Nike, Puma, Adidas and H&M are brand sensations in the apparel and footwear segments, Dolo-650 has emerged as the uncontested hegemon of India’s pharmaceutical sector. During the Covid-19 pandemic, in particular, Dolo-650 has gone on to become a household necessity in India. It was around before too, and in use by a significant number of Indians, but the pandemic opened the floodgates for the brand’s success. Today, Dolo-650 has become the one-stop cure for fever, body aches, cold and other physiological discomforts.
The question is, how did Dolo-650 do it? How did Dolo defeat the likes of Calpol and Crocin, which were used by Indians of all strata to cure the same discomforts and illnesses? What was so special about Dolo-650?
Synonymous with Paracetamol
Dolo-650 and paracetamol are today synonymous in India. In fact, Dolo is used to describe ‘paracetamol’ by everyone. When you go to the chemist, you will not ask for a “paracetamol tablet”. You will intuitively say, “Bhaiya Dolo ki strip dena.” (Please give me a strip of Dolo)
The brand recall value for Dolo is tremendous. In the pharmaceutical sector, it might just be the highest right now. Anil Navandar, who is general secretary of the Maharashtra State Chemists & Druggists Association told ThePrint, “There is a trend of having paracetamol in case of mild fever and bodyache. The way Bisleri has become a huge brand, Dolo 650 has become a brand. In fact, it has become a trend for this segment.”
The Figures
According to data till January this year, since the outbreak of COVID-19, India has sold more than 3.5 billion pills of the anti-fever drug. Here’s how big that number is: If all 3.5 billion tablets were stacked vertically, it would be nearly 6,000 times the height of Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, or 63,000 times the height of the Burj Khalifa, which is the world’s tallest building.
It would suffice to say that the number of Dolo tablets sold since January would have easily crossed the 4 billion mark. In December 2021, Dolo 650 recorded sales of ₹ 28.9 crores, up 61.45 per cent from the same month the previous year. However, its highest sales figures were from April and May 2021, at the peak of the second wave of Covid, when it witnessed sales of ₹ 48.9 crores and ₹ 44.2 crores respectively.
The Reasons
A major reason being cited for the incredible success of Dolo-650 by health professionals and medical experts is the fact that the pill is very safe, has little to no side-effects and can be used by people of all ages. In fact, people suffering from heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes can medicate themselves with the pill as well without worrying about how it would affect their health.
By the consumers, Dolo-650 is cited as a wonder medicine which works immediately, and provides relief that they have not experienced with the likes of Calpol and Crocin. This has not been scientifically proven yet, and is a mere social myth. Yet, for a brand, a social myth like this one can prove to be miraculous and a gift from God.
A major reason why Crocin failed to compete with Dolo is the fact that its formulation is available in the 500mg form. With Dolo, Indians have grown a habit to consume 650mg of paracetamol to get better sooner and in a more decisive manner. Especially among people suffering from high fever, Dolo came in as a rescue-medication. For this very reason, doctors prescribed Dolo more than Crocin and Calpol. Due to the exponential power of one prescription in today’s digital world, Dolo began being consumed by multiple people who referred to that one prescription.
Now, Dolo has become the standard paracetamol prescription in India.
Crocin also experienced some supply issues during the pandemic. Dolo’s manufacturer, Bengaluru-based Micro Labs Ltd capitalised on the same and made sure that their medicine was available at every pharmacy counter across the country.
Dolo-650 is here to stay. It has become a household name. It competed with the likes of Amul, Tata Salt and the kind now. To displace it from its number 1 position will be a herculean task.
(This is not a prescription, please consider a doctor before taking any kind of medicine/s)