Olay Vitamins Cross-Promotion With P&G Skin Care Line Planned

Pharmavite will support the launch of Olay Vitamins with television and print ads, in-store merchandising and cross-promotions with Olay skin care products to garner new vitamin users, the firm said.

The supplement marketer introduced the Olay Vitamins line, which leverages the name of Procter & Gamble's popular skin care franchise and Pharmavite's vitamin expertise, at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Marketplace in San Diego June 8-10.

Pharmavite is broadly targeting the line toward women with the goal of bringing younger new users to the vitamin category, the firm said. A tagline promotes the vitamins as "a complete solution for women, promoting beauty and wellness from the inside out." The firm noted Olay Vitamins is the first big launch under a well-known brand that speaks specifically to women.

Olay Vitamins will consist of two product lines - Beauty Nutrients and Wellness Nutrients - "that make it easy for women to create a personalized supplement regimen to best meet their individual beauty and health needs," according to promotional materials.

The two lines are designed to complement Olay's skin care line both in packaging and intended benefits, Pharmavite added. For example, the wellness line is packaged in white bottles that look similar to Olay's skin care and moisturizing products, while the beauty line is packaged in black and gold bottles to mirror Olay's Total Effects and Age-Defying offerings.

The vitamins are designed to be taken either alone or in combination, allowing women who are interested in addressing more than one aspect of their health via supplement use to take several products at a time.

Pharmavite suggests women should first choose from one of the multivitamins in the wellness line - one is for the "special needs" of women 50 and older, and contains "more C and E than" Wyeth Consumer Healthcare's Centrum . The other is for women's "good health and well-being" and also contains CoQ10.

Women are then urged to choose from among the 13 specialized options in the beauty and wellness lines.

The wellness line, which has "been formulated for woman's unique wellness needs - to help you stay healthy and feel great," consists of eight products, including the two multivitamins.

Product packaging features a flag in the upper right-hand corner of the principal display panel stating the vitamin's intended benefits to lessen consumer confusion, Pharmavite said. For example, red flags on wellness products highlight benefits such as "healthy bones" and "stress defense."

The Women's Health vitamin contains folic acid with B12 complex, and product packaging claims the ingredients are "essential for all women ages 19 to 50."

Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin D comprise the Essential Bone Health Formula supplement, which claims "advanced calcium helps build healthy bones and teeth." Other products in the line target energy, hormonal balance, hearth health and beautiful skin, Pharmavite said.

The seven vitamins in the Beauty Nutrients line are designed to help "your skin be at its most beautiful at every age." Red flags on the boxes note benefits include "even tone" and "smooth texture."

The Even Complexion tablets contain vitamins A, C and D, folic acid, copper, selenium and pycnogenol "for even tone and soothing skin," while the Ester C -containing Alpha Lipoic Collagen Support helps "support collagen for firmness and elasticity." Other vitamins in the line claim to: "fight aging"; "support young appearance"; and "help dry skin."

Consumers are advised to take the supplements with breakfast, Pharmavite noted. The pills will be available in 30-, 60-, 90- or 120-count caplets, tablets or softgels.

Two multi-packs each combining four of the Olay Vitamins are included in the line. Both sets contain a multivitamin, as well as three other supplements to be taken each day. The box will feature a dispensing bin for easy access to the four pills, which will be stored together in a portable cellophane packet.

The wellness package focuses on energy by providing Panax ginseng, CoQ10 and vitamin B12 supplements in addition to the multivitamin. The beauty set "fights seven signs of aging" by combining alpha lipoic acid with green tea, CoQ10 and vitamin E supplements.

Both 30-day sets will retail for $14.99, while the individual products carry suggested retail prices ranging from $7.99 to $24.99, with an average of $9.99, Pharmavite said.

Olay Vitamins are slated to ship in early July and reach shelves in August. The products will be stocked in the vitamin aisle, Pharmavite noted.