Seven Ways To Generate Health Brand Energy Through Added Value

I created this client presentation following a discussion about how to provide added value to consumers who are worried about their future and who are evaluating their purchases with great discretion (if they're purchasing at all). Implicit to being able to provide added value to consumers is understanding how they feel, how they define "value" and how they're making decisions. 

Not one of the seven examples that follows reflects a better feature-driven mousetrap. Rather, all of them provide a platform for enriching people's lives by understanding where they're headed, and then providing better experiences, new relationships and new ways of interacting. I've included examples from both inside and outside health and healthy lifestyles, as big insights and ideas typically come from outside the client category being studied.

1. Great Brand Experience - which inspires trust, builds loyalty and promotes word-of-mouth (e.g. J&J's Baby.com, Amazon, Zappos) 

2. Tried & True Comfort - the "authentic" foods and household products that we grew up with and that remind us of safety, warmth and joy (e.g. A&H Baking Soda, Kraft Mac N' Cheese, J&J Baby Shampoo)

3. Tying To A Cause - purchasing a product to support a cause people care about (e.g. Yoplait Pink Labels, Green Works and Sierra Club)

4. Reinforcement - through the brand, consumers can track their progress (e.g. myAlliplan, Nike + iPod)

5. Community - where consumers actively participate in co-creating brand value (e.g. digg, patientslikeme, Wikipedia)

6. Ongoing Dividends -  where the initial outlay provides sustainable, meaningful and relevant gains (e.g. Prius, Solar Energy)

7. Personalized Expression - where the brand serves as a blank canvas for personal expression (e.g. My M&M's, Build My Mini)

A little "healthy lifestyles" levity for a Friday

Actually, there's nothing light about this at all. Sharing this post from Consumerist – "The Worst Food Product Ever" May Have Been Found.  Should provide the impetus for us all to strive to have a healthy day. 

After seeing this, it compelled me to go to Armour's site. I was interested in seeing how they spoke about the company and the Armour brand.  Armour is actually part of Pinnacle Foods Group LLC. Their mission is to "make our brands an increasingly important part of consumers' everyday lives so we build sustainable value." Hmm...wonder how this fits with this mission? 

Armour is one of their brands. As they say in their Product Description, "Armour offers a wide range of easy-to-make solutions for all your meal and snacking occasions…given today's busy lifestyles, you're sure to find a quick, convenient and great tasting Armour Star product to satisfy your craving, whatever the occasion." Yes, this is quick and convenient. But don't even want to think about what the craving could be. 

Interestingly, when you click through to the Armour site, there's no Pork Brains to be found. 

Avoiding high medical costs through health foods and supplements

Not surprisingly, sales of health foods and supplements (as reported by Chinese ingredient group Fencham ) are on the rise as a means to avoid high medical costs. The specific consumer segments integrating these functional foods and supplements into their lives aren't identified. However, we do know there are two segments -- the Well Beings and the Food Actives -- most predisposed to these proactive practices. The Well Beings integrate health into their lives through most wellness products, services and lifestyle activities. The Food Actives, on the other hand, are most focused on improving their health through food.

Can't help but wonder, however, how many of these consumers truly understand the implications of their actions. Hopefully, they're informed and not trying to take matters into their own hands based solely on the economic environment and the fear of incurring health care costs.

Read article brief (Sales Boosted…)

Think of your consumer as another healthcare channel

No longer do you sell your healthcare services through the traditional channels. Your consumers have not only begun to direct marketing messages, they are also delivering those messages. Which means they have become a part of the Channel. 

So healthcare marketers need to learn how to utilize this new channel opportunity. The tactics are going to be different than for traditional channels, but the potential benefits are tremendous in terms of:

• spreading the word 

• relevance of the messenger

• credibility of another consumer 

• believability

Learning to pull versus push

To push is to press against something or somebody in order to move that object or person. Today, if we push, we will move audiences away from our products and services. On the other hand, if we pull, we are more likely to draw a willing crowd. 

The mass audiences we once advertised to are now splintered into thousands of niche groups demanding personalized marketing (if they agree to receive it at all). Pull, the ability to attract desired audiences, has become a critical method to grow and deepen customer relationships. 

Facilitating the freedom of consumers to engage when and how they want to (to pull them in), will mean the difference between winning and losing in this new environment. Pull tactics include:

• blogging

• podcasting

• webinars

• white papers

• newsletters/e-zines

• on-site content

• experiential events

• mobile

• social networks

• viral video

• games

By surrounding products and services with the communication, community and collaboration opportunities that new technologies provide, brands become more attractive - engaging - and become destinations that consumers value and want on their own terms. 

Failing to adapt to these new realities will mean that you eventually go the way of the dinosaur.