Coldrex vs Vicks:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, Vicks had more branded searches than Coldrex among cold and flu brands in New Zealand. Vicks was estimated to have 6.3K branded searches compared to Coldrex’s 370, and held an 18.9% Share of Search versus Coldrex’s 1.1%.
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Which is more popular in search, Coldrex or Vicks?
Compare the cold, flu and sore throat remedy brands New Zealanders reach for. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Vicks, Coldrex. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Lemsip | Sudafed | Strepsils | Vicks | Coldrex |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 20.5% | 35.9% | 24.1% | 17.8% | 1.7% |
| Nov 2025 | 21.8% | 34.6% | 22.3% | 20.3% | 1.1% |
| Dec 2025 | 19.4% | 34.9% | 22.9% | 21.4% | 1.4% |
| Jan 2026 | 20.2% | 33.5% | 24% | 21.1% | 1.2% |
| Feb 2026 | 22.8% | 31.3% | 23.9% | 20.5% | 1.4% |
| Mar 2026 | 24.3% | 31.3% | 25.5% | 17.3% | 1.5% |
| Apr 2026 | 22.7% | 33.5% | 22% | 20.1% | 1.8% |
| May 2026 | 25.3% | 31.2% | 20.9% | 20.6% | 2% |
| Jun 2026 | 25.7% | 30.9% | 21.6% | 20.1% | 1.7% |
| Jul 2026 | 27% | 31.6% | 21% | 18.9% | 1.5% |
| Aug 2026 | 28.5% | 28.2% | 23.2% | 18.9% | 1.1% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Coldrex and Vicks comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Vicks was ahead of Coldrex in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Coldrex’s estimated Share of Search among cold and flu brands in New Zealand moved from 1.7% to 1.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 240 to 370.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Vicks’ estimated Share of Search among cold and flu brands in New Zealand moved from 17.8% to 18.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.5K to 6.3K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand cold and flu brands in August 2026?
2 changes
Coldrex’s estimated Share of Search among cold and flu brands in New Zealand has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 2% to 1.1% in August 2026.

Estimated monthly branded searches for Vicks in New Zealand rose 153% over 11 measured months, from 2.5K to 6.3K in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Coldrex’s and Vicks’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.

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