Viactiv Single Product Introduction Led To Future Line Success - Leiner Exec

Dietary supplement companies should focus on launching single branded products instead of whole lines in order to best attract and establish consumer interest, Leiner Health Products New Products Marketing Director David Weinberg advised at the Nutrimarket conference in San Francisco March 27-28.

The Leiner exec's comment came while discussing Mead Johnson's Viactiv chewable calcium supplement, one of four 1999 supplement successes highlighted by Weinberg, along with Pharmavite's SAM-e product, Rexall Sundown's Cellasene and J&J Personal Product Company's Healthy Woman Soy Menopause.

Weinberg noted Mead Johnson initially "came out with one product," and after establishing it as a successful brand, has now "built upon that with a line of products."

Mead Johnson initially introduced Viactiv calcium chews, which Weinberg referred to as their "foundational product," in January 1999. The firm extended the brand with bars and beverages in food, drug and mass outlets about a year later (¹ (Also see "Viactiv Bars, Drinks TV Ad Stresses Energy Benefits For Women" - Pink Sheet, 28 Feb, 2000.)).

Mead Johnson "came out with one product, established that, made that successful, and now they've been able to go into all the other accounts and say, 'Hey, we want more shelf space for drinks, we want more shelf space for bars,' and they've been pretty successful in getting that shelf space" as a result, Weinberg maintained.

Examples of brands launched as lines rather than individual products include Whitehall-Robins' Centrum Herbals, Warner-Lambert's Quanterra supplements and Bayer's One-A-Day blends, Weinberg noted. Expected to reap significant sales, all three lines have fallen short of expectations.

"They tried all introducing lines...as opposed to the single [product] or keeping their introduction to a couple of items," a tactic that might have proven helpful since "the more products, the more consumer confusion," Weinberg stated.

However, in addition to Mead Johnson's slow expansion of the Viactiv line, Weinberg also commended the chews' packaging. "We've done research on that tub and everyone, almost without exception, loves [it]. It is a great, very recognizable device," he said.

Weinberg also applauded Mead's 12-count trial size SKU, which he said allowed consumers to test the product before buying the larger tub. "This is a food item [and] Mead Johnson recognized that," Weinberg said, noting with dietary supplements "you don't see a lot of sampling...because there's nothing to taste."

However, discussing the confectionery calcium segment, which includes Viactiv, Pharmavite's CalBurst and Whitehall's Caltrate 600 Plus Chewables, Mission Pharmacal Group Product Director David Griffith observed "it would be interesting to understand the dental impact of the 2 g to 3 g of sugar that that is contained per dose." Viactiv has 3 g of sugar per dose, while both Caltrate 600 Plus Chewables and CalBurst have 2 g. Mission Pharmacal produces the Citracal line of calcium supplements.

Another success Weinberg reviewed was SAM-e, which Pharmavite launched under its Nature Made brand last March (² (Also see "Pharmavite, GNC Launching SAM-e Dietary Supplement For Joints/Mood" - Pink Sheet, 15 Mar, 1999.)). Promoted for improved mood and joint health, the S-adenosylmethionine supplement recorded roughly $25 mil. in sales in its first year, Weinberg said.

The product succeeded, despite its high retail price at launch - $24.99 for 20 tablets, according to Weinberg - and the already-established presence of St. John's wort for depression and glucosamine/chondroitin for joints, because "it received tremendous widespread positive press" and "very good medical community support," Weinberg contended.

Public relations, not advertising, also was key to the item's success, he maintained, stating Pharmavite spent over $1 mil. on product launch PR. "Getting some of the top experts in depression and arthritis to go out and do interviews...really launched SAM-e," he said.

Meanwhile, although Rexall's Cellasene saw heavy initial sales due to its media coverage, the product "received no medical community support from day one," which led to a steep decline following its launch, Weinberg noted.

SAM-e showed that strong public relations and medical support can overcome not being the first product in a certain category, while Viactiv showed "we're going to see more...nutrition and nutritional products in new delivery forms," he said.