Behind the Shelf Blog Archives - Page 33 of 34

Superhero status

October 29, 2013 by Megan Moyer

by Dave Wendland You won’t find them in capes, leaping tall buildings, or catching bullets in mid-air, but these white-coated professionals are indeed healthcare superheroes. And I believe the role of the pharmacist in the United States is about to become more pronounced. Healthcare reform is dictating the need for front-line healthcare professionals to guide consumer … Read more

Ye olde marketing is still good marketing

October 21, 2013 by Megan Moyer

by Jenny Kosek

Ever been to a Renaissance Faire? Every summer, I am among the fearless and dorky who don upholstery fabric and corsetry to enjoy a day of contrived historical fantasy at my local faire. One of the main attractions of any such festival is the many vendors who set up shop to sell their wares on the grounds. Exquisite, handmade costumes, jewelry, leather crafts, pottery, and wood carved objects are sold by dedicated artisans who make their livings travelling from festival to festival throughout the year. Selling as much of their products as possible is their daily bread-and-butter.

Their potential shoppers have never heard of their brand. These craftspeople don’t advertise on TV, and Renaissance Faires don’t have billboards above the vendors to attract passersby. So how do these intrepid salespeople sell their products?

The Fresh Revolution

October 18, 2013 by Megan Moyer

You can’t put lipstick on a pig — or false claims on your product.

October 16, 2013 by Megan Moyer

by Dave Wendland

A phrase common in the car sales industry used to describe taking a hunk of junk, brushing on a fresh coat of paint, and selling it for full price may also apply to the consumer healthcare market. Although consumers are savvy shoppers, they may be fooled into believing that the claims on certain non-FDA regulated products are indeed true.

Claims that can be used on food and dietary supplement labels fall into three categories: health claims, nutrient content claims, and structure/function claims. And there are compliance guidelines to be followed by manufacturers promoting such a product.

Various organizations representing dietary supplements such as Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), DSHEA (Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994) and certain regulatory bodies do an admirable job establishing manufacturer standards, although there is not a guarantee that misleading claims are not asserting themselves on product packaging aimed at capturing the imagination and desire of consumers.

How is your brand holding up?

October 14, 2013 by Megan Moyer

by Megan Moyer At what point in its lifecycle is your product? Introduction, growth, maturity, or decline? If you’re in maturity or decline, it may be time to conduct a brandformation – an assessment of consumer perception of your brand. Once you’ve reached the maturity stage, that’s the time to explore how consumers view the brand … Read more

Shoppers with young children want a Children’s Care category

October 11, 2013 by Megan Moyer

by Jen Johnston

When I was the mother of a newborn, I appreciated drug chains that had a baby care category. I mean, I really, really appreciated it. And what mother wouldn’t? It’s not particularly easy to shop with a newborn in tow, so having the diapers, shampoo, baby food, and pacifiers in one aisle always made me think wow, this store gets me.

Only now, I am left thinking wow, this store GOT me. But it doesn’t get me anymore. Because now I am the mom of two – a newborn and an almost pre-schooler. Now I am shopping with two kids in tow. And I can still pick up my baby care items in one place which is great, but when it comes to my pre-schooler’s needs, I am left searching specific categories around the store. I can’t even begin to express how frustrating that can be.

What can HBW manufacturers learn from the scrapbooking industry?

September 27, 2013 by Megan Moyer

by Jen Johnston

I am going to talk about scrapbooking on this health, beauty, and wellness retailing blog. Why? Well, partly because I am an avid scrapbooker and know the industry pretty well. And partly because I wanted to point out that certain scrapbooking product manufacturers really know their end user, and I think that is something to be admired. They know that 98% of the time their end user is female and that 63% of them are married with children living at home. They know that while these women love their families and that is why they make scrapbooks about their loved ones, they also need an escape, need to feel feminine, and many prefer to scrapbook in the company of other women. They know that to differentiate their products from the ordinary, they need to provide their female customer with an experience.

This uniquely feminine experience is evidenced in that the target audience often wears “scrapbook queen” tee-shirts and tiaras. So when it comes to walking past scrapbooking products on store shelves, the product packaging needs to draw her in and beckon her to buy it, not based on its functionality alone, but also by the experience it provides to her.

I think experiential packaging is important for HBW brands, too.

Connecting the dots

September 19, 2013 by Megan Moyer

by Dave Wendland When the biggest retailer in the world recognizes that their out of stock situation is causing shopper frustration what do they do? Begin connecting the dots. Beginning in May 2013 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. addressed its stocking problem by developing a green-dot program whereby key items were flagged to ensure their availability. This intensified … Read more

Destination: destiny

September 11, 2013 by Megan Moyer

by Dave Wendland Ever heard of or been to Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota? Chances are you have. Visitors from around the country — and beyond — have traversed the largely unpopulated South Dakota plains to reach this unique point of interest. As expressed by the numerous photos adorning the hallways of the store, people from … Read more

Developing a marketing plan is worth the effort

September 4, 2013 by Megan Moyer

by Megan Moyer It happens every year. We strategize and put our plan on paper and then we get side-tracked, distracted, misdirected – you name it – and we end up creating campaigns or one-off promotions to meet immediate needs. We don’t have time to step back and determine how or if it fits into … Read more