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Integrated Marketing Group 146 W. Pierpont Avenue Salt Lake City, UT 84101 phone: (801) 538-0777 fax: (801) 538-0780 www.imgbranding.com |
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Making Science Sing: Marketing the Support Behind Your Product
by Jeff Hilton, Integrated Marketing Group
My observation in coming away from these groups was that while consumers are becoming
increasingly interested in third-party scientific validation, they really don't know
what that means or what it should look like. So as manufacturers in this industry
scramble to generate scientific evidence to support health claims, the question arises
"What is the optimal way to market products which are science-driven to this new, more
skeptical consumer?"
May I suggest a few ideas about more effectively marketing the science behind your products?
Understand Your Customer
Before you begin to speak, know who you are talking to. Make sure you have sufficient
insights on the demographic and psychographic profiles of your customer that you understand
1) what product-related information will be relevant and meaningful to them,
2) what their general attitudes are about the category or categories you compete in,
3) what their core product usage patterns are, and
4) how they view your key competitors. If that is information you don't have or can't access,
you should probably conduct some preliminary research to gather this kind of information or
consult existing secondary sources. Otherwise, you are basing marketing decisions on a
foundation of sand-- generally a waste of both time and money.
Integrate Your Science Into Your Product Positioning
The surest way to accomplish this is to make the scientific validation and support you have
generated for the product central to the product's positioning and brand image. That means
more than just adding a line of copy to your ads and brochures about the clinical research
you have conducted. Consider and internally discuss the following options:
Make Your Science Relevant
Many manufacturers have convinced themselves that if they throw enough technical jargon and
confusing multi-syllable words at the consumer, that they will be impressed enough to assume
legitimacy and buy the product. While that technique may work with a small niche of ignorant
consumers, focus group research indicates that consumers are much more savvy and knowledgeable
than we as marketers give them credit for. Most are quickly able to cut through the smoke
screen. As an industry, we must learn to talk about science in more comfortable, everyday
language. Language that consumers can understand and relate to. Language that helps them see
the wellness benefits to the products we offer. Consumers get it. They can handle more
information than we think. They have become accustomed to shopping for these types of products.
They read labels and are capable of intelligent and discerning judgement. If you speak openly
and honestly to consumers, you will earn their respect and their loyalty. The key lies in
learning to present science in simple and basic ways. Here are a few ideas:
In summary, remember that your scientific information is only important to the consumer as it
relates to his or her own personal wellness or the health of a loved one. Other than that,
you're wasting your time.
Make Your Science Interesting
Just because science is serious doesn't mean it has to be boring and lifeless. Though you
wouldn't know that by looking at many of the science-driven ads in consumer publications. Remember
that health and wellness and vitality are the product benefits. The science is a tool to help us
all get there. Don't be afraid to have some fun. Take a lesson from direct-to-consumer advertising
for Claritin, Allegra and Zocor. The products are serious and credible, but they feature people
enjoying what life has to offer. Vioxx uses the color purple to create a visual device to aid in
product recall and recognition. Upbeat and positive approaches are generally best. May I offer a few
practical guidelines:
Case in point. IMG created an ad for a supplement line from Tree of Life. The product offered superior
tablet dissolution and disintegration compared to the competition. We could have posted charts and graphs
showing the competitive advantage. Paragraphs and paragraphs of copy. But instead we photographed a beaker
of fluid with a large tablet resting at the bottom with the headline "It's been 45 minutes. Do you know
where your supplement is?" Which approach do you think the consumer will stop to read?
Don't Overestimate Your Efforts
Consumers are hungry for information. And as much as you feel you are flooding the
marketplace with words, they perceive a dearth of relevant scientific information and
support for most products on the market. Never think you are doing enough or in any
way too much. It's all about re-building lost confidence. That will happen through
the continued sharing of meaningful scientific evidence and support. We must all press
forward in educating the consumer. Now more than ever.
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I observed a series of focus group research studies recently and listened to
consumers talk about their usage and attitudes regarding dietary supplements.
I have sat in that room behind the mirror and watched similar discussions unfold
literally hundreds of times over the past 10 years. But it was different this
time. As they talked, these active category users were more guarded and hesitant
in their expressions of confidence in the ability of supplements to perform as
promised. They were less forthcoming about their recommendations to friends and
family regarding the products they use. The skepticism was palpable. Yet they
seemed to be struggling to find a reason to believe. They talked about preventive
self-care and their distrust of the mainstream medical establishment. They were
determined to find ways in which they could take greater control of their own health.
When asked about how their confidence in supplements could be restored, they spoke of
scientific proof in the form of clinical research or studies. They wanted third-party
validation of the health claims made about the supplements they purchase, and most
felt that the majority of supplements on the market do not currently provide this type
of substantiation.