A longstanding partnership between high street chemist Boots and Macmillan Cancer Support ensures that both partners gain visibility, gravitas and expertise.
Paul Fraser, head of partnership management at Macmillan Cancer Support, explains that the partnership has been running since 2009, and says that the determination to make it ‘a holistic partnership’ has led to its huge success.
‘It utilises as many facets of both brands as possible,’ he says.
Under the partnership, Macmillan and Boots offer services to people with cancer through Boots stores. These include more than 1,000 Boots Macmillan Beauty Advisors who are trained to provide expert beauty advice to support with the visible effects of cancer and around 2,200 Boots Macmillan Information Pharmacists who complete bespoke training developed by Boots and Macmillan to give information and support to people living with cancer.
Boots has also raised more than £16 million for Macmillan. ‘We want colleagues at Boots to feel like they too are part of the Macmillan family so that when it comes to championing the partnership, they know exactly how together, we are reaching more people living with cancer,’ Fraser says.
‘For Macmillan, our partnership with Boots puts us and our services on the high street and gives the public easy access to the information and support we can offer. Macmillan’s expertise in the cancer arena and status as the number one trusted charity brand also adds value for Boots.
‘There is a real synergy between Macmillan and Boots in terms of our core supporters and customers which reflects in the work that we do and gives gravitas and value in what we do together. Both brands have a huge heritage – with Macmillan now over one hundred years old and Boots turning 170 next year, so our combined expertise in our respective areas spans nearly three centuries.’
