Allegra Stages an All-Out OTC Launch

Bridgewater, N.J. — For the first over-the-counter launch of allergy medication Allegra, multiple retailers eagerly adopted the "paint the store purple" marketing plan for its March 3 release.While drugstores had the most to lose since they fill the majority of prescriptions, all channels were "hyper-aggressive" in an effort to capture the business of as many of Allegra's 7 million users as possible, says Charlie Stafford, vice president of sales for Allegra manufacturer Chattem Inc., a division of Sanofi-Aventis. "It seems like every time we created a program, we were asked what more we could do. Retailers wanted more. What evolved was a custom program for every retailer."Consistent across all retail programs were a preponderance of purple and core messages regarding the product's unchanged formulation. Purple "is a bold color and unique to the category" that portrays Allegra as strong and effective, and not a weaker substitute to the prescription, says Stafford, citing "research that shows some patients believe when there's a switch, they end up with a weaker product." Every in-store display also communicated that the OTC product is full-prescription strength.Ahead of the launch, Chattem provided retailers with merchandising kits that included place holders, window clings and other elements to announce that Allegra was coming to store aisles. Meanwhile, working with cooperative retailers and Catalina Marketing, St. Petersburg, Fla., Chattem tapped into pharmacy databases to identify and communicate with Allegra consumers about the impending switch, and to send coupons. (Catalina gathers shopper insights based on prescription purchases.)Additionally, Chattem used online banner and display ads as well as homepage takeovers to announce the launch to a broader audience. Offline, Chattem used FSIs, print ads, and radio and TV spots. Numerous retailers also featured Allegra in their circulars.Allegra's digital assets were "mobile optimized," with store locators "customized to let you know who had the product on-shelf in real time because, although retailers all received it on the same day, it took some longer than others to get it from their distribution centers" into stores, says Blair Ramey, vice president, marketing. On Allegra.com, Chattem included pollen-count forecasters and a game called Bop-an-Allergen.In-store, Walgreens had the most liberal application of purple "paint," using an Allegra-branded purple archway that extended across the aisle stocking the product. Post-launch, a "Coming Soon" teaser on the archway was replaced by "Now Available" signage. Walgreens also added window posters, dedicated endcaps and shelf signage.CVS/pharmacy focused more on pricing, and that carried over onto in-store displays. Customized shelf strips and floorstands called out low prices. In addition, the drugstore chain's "Savings Central" website developed by Triad Retail Media, Tampa, Fla., featured Allegra-branded content that included a pollen-count forecaster with optional email alerts containing extra savings when pollen counts go up.Along with food, drug and mass outlets, club channel retailers such as Costco were deemed "extremely important for our long-term success," accounting for 10% to 15% of category volume, Ramey says. Chattem created pallet displays that offered a sizable footprint and maximum visibility."The precedent of Rx-to-OTC switches is that manufacturers underestimate demand, and for Allegra there is an increased seasonal demand during the critical spring and fall allergy seasons," says Ramey. "Getting a handle on retail demand was an important aspect of pre-planning and execution at store level. Don't be out of stock, don't be out of product, was the message we heard from retailers."Chattem worked with various creative partners: New York agencies Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, The Joey Co. and Karlen Williams Graybill; Princeton, N.J.-based Ferrara & Co.; and global packaging products and services provider Sonoco, Hartsville, S.C., for structural designs and displays; and Neenah, Wis.-based Menasha Packaging for additional P-O-P, including the Walgreens aisle arch.The company says sales of Allegra exceeded projections, running ahead of its goals for each week through May.

Allegra Stages an All-Out OTC Launch

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