Wrigley Enters New Store Aisle

Chicago -- The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. is stepping out of the candy aisle this spring with the introduction of an antacid gum. The product is the first from the company's new Wrigley Healthcare division and will be merchandised with several display options alongside other medicinal products.Named Surpass Antacid Chewing Gum, the pellet-shaped product is available in wintergreen and fruit flavors. It began shipping to all classes of trade for a mid-March introduction and is being promoted via a wide-ranging marketing program. Four displays were shipped for the product introduction, and a series of TV, print, sampling, couponing and Internet efforts will begin this month."This is certainly a different program than Wrigley has done in the past because the market is different from our usual one," explains Jim Dubina, marketing manager for the new Healthcare division. "Surpass is going a step beyond our usual presentation of a wholesome, fun product to present chewing gum as a medication in a great-tasting, convenient form."The product comes in a 10-piece package as well as 20- and 30-piece packages, with the intent of making it portable and easy to use. "It fits with today's lifestyle of being on the go," Dubina explains. "It doesn't require a spoon or water to use, and the blister packaging plays that up." The copy on the package and displays promotes that it "tastes great" and is "fast acting." "It's a new generation of antacid," Dubina says, "And a whole new way to deliver medicine."The displays were produced by Smurfit-Stone Display Group, Castle Rock, Wis. location, in conjunction with North American Paper Co., Glenview, Ill. They include a convertible floorstand/power wing that offers eight facings and holds 24 of the 20- and 30-piece packages. It measures 11 inches wide, 51 inches high and 15 inches deep with the base included and was produced in a run of 20,000 units. A PDQ shelf tray, which is being used primarily by Wal-Mart stores but also by some other retailers, holds 36 packages of 20- and 30-piece packages. It measures 29 inches wide, 13 inches high and 14 inches deep and was produced in a run of 5,000.Two gravity-feed displays are also being introduced, one for the two larger package sizes and one for the 10-piece size, with 10,000 units in all created. The larger version, which features clips on the back so it can hang from an endcap wing unit, holds 24 packages and measures 12 inches wide, 26 inches high and 4 inches deep. The smaller model includes built-in hooks that allow it to be hung from an existing wire rack, and it also can be positioned on a counter or against a wall. It holds 24 packages and measures 6 inches wide, 24 inches high and 4 inches deep.The company is working with Acosta Sales & Marketing Inc., Diamond Bar, Calif., to execute the promotional program, Dubina says. "This is a vastly different product for Wrigley so we didn't want to use our traditional salesforce." The company began working with retailers in late February to ensure the products and displays were available by mid-March."We worked with our trade customers very closely to create displays that would be effective for them," Dubina says. He notes that the gum underwent extensive consumer and clinical testing, although no test-marketing was done prior to the national rollout. "The trade has been very receptive to the product," he adds.

Wrigley Enters New Store Aisle

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