Walgreens Gives Nexium the OTC Treatment

Walgreens gave full support to Pfizer's launch of Nexium 24HR as an over-the-counter heartburn medication through a variety of prominent in-store and online marketing vehicles.The retailer kicked off the activity by touting the brand as “Coming Soon” with an interior circular feature on May 11 and a front-page mention on May 18. One week later, and two days before the product's official May 27 launch, Walgreens used a front-page feature to present a special price and an offer for $5 in Register Rewards with purchase of a 42-count SKU. The same deal ran on the front page of the June 1 and June 8 tabs.Five days after the launch, Walgreens devoted the cover of its June coupon book to Nexium. The ad directed consumers to the brand's website without presenting any product offers. It's the first time in at least four years that an individual brand has been promoted on the coupon book's cover, which typically showcases the retailer’s own campaigns. Meanwhile, the book's interior carries a $2 coupon for a 28-count SKU.In stores, Walgreens employed a plethora of displays and signs that rivals the enhanced activity for other recent OTC launches such as Allegra and Nasacort. (See Related Articles.) Among the materials were multiple endcaps, floorstands, window posters, security pedestal ads, aisle violators and A-boards. Custom "Answers at Walgreens" brochures distributed on an endcap near the pharmacy window presented information about the product and heartburn prevention, along with a $1 coupon.In another first (according to an Institute source), the plan also includes signs that extend out over the OTC aisle on a plastic arm attached to the gondola. (See Related Images at right.) The signs were manufactured by RockTenn Merchandising Displays, Winston-Salem, NC, and installed by Advantage Sales & Marketing, Irvine, CA. Online, a prominent feature broke on walgreens.com’s home page at launch, connecting visitors to a landing page that provides product information and a link for online purchase. The day after launch, an update on Walgreens’ Facebook page promoted Nexium’s availability in-store and online. The co-operative plan also included paid search on google.com.

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